#ydrus

[briefbestiary]

The slayer of crocodiles, a hydrus. These aquatic serpents would often be conflated with the legendary Hydra or the dropsy-inflicting hydros by bestiary illuminators.

[lpbestiary]

The hydrus is a creature featured in medieval bestiaries. They were said to live in the Nile river in Africa, where they would be eaten by crocodiles only to burst free from their stomachs. In medieval Christian tradition, this became viewed as a symbol of Christ's resurrection.

There is no consensus to the hydrus' appearance, with many seeing it as a kind of water snake. Pliny the Elder described it as resembling an otter, while it has also been depicted as a bird, a mongoose and a dragon.

Image source.

Monster master list.

Suggest a spook.