Yale

 


The yale was a goat or antelope from medieval bestiaries and heraldry. Its name might comes from the Hebrew word yael, meaning ibex, or the Greek word eilo, meaning to roll or swing. It’s also known as the eale and the centicore


The Yale’s most notable feature is its large horns, which it can swing around to point forward or back at will. It was believed the forward pointing horns were used as an offensive attack, while the horns pointing backwards were better for defence. Being able to switch between the two made the yale unparalleled in combat. In addition to this the yale also had boar like tusks. It was also huge, being comparable in size to a hippopotamus.


The yale first appeared in the writings of Pliny the Elder. Here, and in medieval bestiaries the yale is described as a stocky bull like animals with black fur. It was likely based on misinterpretations of a cape buffalo. Over time the yale morphed into a more goat or antelope like animal. It also gained a yellow or white coat with prominent spots. This is the form it takes in heraldry and is known for today.


The yale was said to live in Ethiopia. It was so fearsome it would attack any animal without provocation. The yale was the sworn enemy of the basilisk, and was immune to the basilisk’s ability to turn creatures to stone with its gaze. Yales would attack and kill any basilisks they encountered. Yet if the basilisk caught the yale sleeping it would bite the yale and kill it with its venom.


The yale appears frequently in heraldry. It was featured on the coat of arms of Beaufort, and King Henry VII. It was also one of the ten Queen’s Beasts, which were heraldic animals associated with Queen Elizabeth II’s ancestry.


Sources

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yale_(mythical_creature)

https://bestiary.ca/beasts/beast142.htm

https://legendsofwindemere.com/2022/10/24/monster-month-yale-a-k-a-centicore/

https://www.theoi.com/Thaumasios/Eale.html

https://engole.info/yale-mythical-creature/



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