The Seven-League Boots

The Seven-League Boots are a recurring artifact in numerous European fairy tales, and the boots themselves allowed one to travel seven leagues (roughly five kilometers or three miles) per step. The boots aren’t very well known, and they are featured primarily in the French fairytale Hop-o’-My-Thumb.

In the story, Hop-o’-My-Thumb is a small boy who is extremely intelligent. When his parents abandon him and his brothers, he becomes the (very tiny) man of the house. When an ogre decides to make a meal of the brothers, Hop-o’-My-Thumb steals their magical boots to escape and make his fortune for his family.

Skatert-Samobranka

Let’s say you’re out for a picnic, and you’ve forgotten the food. That’s not an issue, you just need to whip out your Skatert-Samobranka. The Skatert-Samobranka was a magic tablecloth that could produce food when unfurled and cleaned itself up when it was folded again. As with most supernatural items, there were rules. The Skatert-Samobranka was sentient, so it needed to be respected and cared for. If angered, it might have ruined the food, and any rips or holes would cause it to slowly lose its magical properties. That’s one temperamental tablecloth.

Dragon’s Teeth

Dragons are the quintessential monster of European folklore: giant, fire-breathing lizards that may have been the medieval explanation for dinosaur bones. The Greek legend of Cadmus states that, in the days of yore, Cadmus killed the sacred dragon of the god of war—Ares. Athena, Ares’s sister, told Cadmus to plant the teeth, which grew into a fresh crop of soldiers. He then threw a precious gem in amid the soldiers, who fought each other for it until there were five survivors. These five later went on to found the city of Thebes. To this day, to “sow dragon’s teeth” means to cause something that breeds dispute.

Bizarre Chelonians

Turtles and tortoises belong to the family Chelonii. In general, “turtle” is used to define water-loving members of the group. The dome-shaped, land-based chelonians are frequently referred to as tortoises. These differences explained, the entire group boasts some exceedingly odd traits. Chelonians may resemble a shellfish, but unlike the inert calcium carbonate shell of oysters, their carapace is actually a complex bone structure that evolved from their ancestors’ rib cage structures.

Odder still is the lack of a diaphragm for breathing. As a result, turtles cannot cough, making them vulnerable to infection. Vocal cords are absent, but hissing and bellowing sounds can be produced by air pressure in many species. Finally, certain species attract their prey by using their tongue as a wormlike lure. These ancient creatures offer a true multitude of novel and bizarre characteristics.

The Egg-Eating Snake

African egg-eating snakes raid nests for bird eggs, which they swallow whole with their unhingeable jaws. Lacking traditional teeth, these “soft-mouthed serpents” have knobby protuberances along their backbones. Once the egg is swallowed, these “spinal teeth” will break it open in a sawing motion as they pass it toward the stomach. The traits are truly bizarre, but fortunately, there is no human danger from these snakes.

The Harmless Toothy Giant

Sometimes, specialization in nature results from evolutionary pressure or a new niche becoming available. The unique gavials of India possess an astoundingly long, needlelike snout and multitudes of sharp teeth. Gavials have never been responsible for any human casualties, as their bite is extremely weak, and their demeanor is far less aggressive than the typical hunting crocodilian. Gavials may appear to be extremely creepy, or even comical at times. Unfortunately, the animals are highly endangered as a result of preventable causes, including poaching, siltation, and water contamination. 

The Dancing Caiman

We generally imagine reptile breeding to be a relatively dull affair—those of us who consider the subject at all. The concept of hierarchy or any type of a social life may also be a foreign thought to the budding reptile admirer. But a brief look at the Yacare caiman will soon correct that. Yacare caimans are small crocodilians that inhabit open rivers in the Amazon region.

During the breeding season, male caimans engage in complex dance routines in the river. These water aerobics serve to establish dominance and order.