Abada (unicorn)

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Illustration featured on page 60 of Girolamo Merolla's Breve, e succinta relazione del viaggio nel regno di Congo nell'Africa meridionale, fatto dal P. Girolamo Merolla da Sorrento, sacerdote Cappuccino missionario apostolico : continente variati clima, arie, animali, fiumi, frutti, vestimenti con proprie figure, diversita di costumi, e di viveri per l'uso umano. Abada illustration.png
Illustration featured on page 60 of Girolamo Merolla's Breve, e succinta relazione del viaggio nel regno di Congo nell'Africa meridionale, fatto dal P. Girolamo Merolla da Sorrento, sacerdote Cappuccino missionario apostolico : continente variati clima, arie, animali, fiumi, frutti, vestimenti con proprie figure, diversita di costumi, e di viveri per l'uso umano.

In the Kongo language, Abada refers to a mythical animal similar to a unicorn. The Abada, however, has two crooked horns as opposed to a unicorn's single one [1] . The Abada's horns hang limp and soft when it is relaxed or sleeping, but harden when it feels threatened. [2] The Abada's horns can act as an antidote to poison and disease. [1] It is also claimed that natives would hunt the male Abadas to use their skin as shields. [2] The Abada is also known as Nillekma or Arase. [1]

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It has been described as being the size of a small donkey with the tail of a boar. In many tales, the Abada is said to appear during moments of hardship, such as when a traveler is lost or someone is gravely ill. Its arrival is viewed as a sign of good fortune and a supernatural source of hope. [1]

Outside of Conglese myth the Abada is also found in Indonesian, Malay, and Tartar mythologies in which the Abada is portrayed as a primarily female creature with a shy disposition. [3]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Ken Wilson-Max (January 23, 2013). "African Mythical creatures: Abada 'The Unicorn'". The Illustrationist.
  2. 1 2 Archive, Internet Sacred Text. "Mythical Monsters: Chapter X. The Unicorn". Internet Sacred Text Archive. Retrieved 2026-03-12.
  3. ↑ Bane, Theresa (2016-05-09). Encyclopedia of Beasts and Monsters in Myth, Legend and Folklore. McFarland. ISBN   978-0-7864-9505-4.
  4. ↑ Bookey. Skin of the Sea. Bookey, n.d. PDF file. https://cdn.bookey.app/files/pdf/book/en/skin-of-the-sea.pdf

[1]

Further reading

  1. ↑
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