Bonnacon
Also called Bonasus, Bonacon, Bonachus.
In medieval bestiary tradition, the Bonnacon is a bull-like beast with inward-curling horns that defends itself from pursuers by expelling a trail of scalding, corrosive dung.
At a glance
- Region
- Paeonia (place of origin)
- Trait family
- The Land-Shapers
- Symbols
- Bull
Near this figure
Symbols
Judged against the description by a model. Meanings are our own paraphrase.
- Bull is image-domain The bull denotes fecundating potency and pent strength, sacred to storm and sky gods, and harnessed as the ox to the plough that founded settlement.
why
In medieval bestiary tradition, the Bonnacon is a bull-like beast with inward-curling horns that defends itself from pursuers by expelling a trail of scalding, corrosive dung.
Traits
Read from the figure's description, which a model wrote. Open "why" for the sentence a trait came from.
Form
- Hybrid of multiple animals
why
bull-like in body but maned like a horse
- Bovine features on monstrous body
why
bull-like beast with inward-curling horns
Behaviour
- Corrosive dung defense
why
This dung is described as so hot and corrosive that it scorches and burns whatever it touches, and pursuers who venture too close are said to be scalded as though by fire, forcing hunters to keep their distance or give up the chase entirely.
Sight and sound
- Trail of scorched earth left behind
why
This dung is described as so hot and corrosive that it scorches and burns whatever it touches
Offensive powers
- Corrosive breath
why
Lacking any effective use of its horns, the Bonnacon is said to rely instead on a singular and memorable defense: when pursued by hunters, it turns and releases a torrent of dung across a great distance, said in some tellings to cover as much as three acres of ground.