Medieval Beasts Encyclopedia
"Where Fantasy Meets Reality."
The phoenix is a legendary bird that is featured in many myths. These myths' origins are scattered across the globe in countries such as India, Japan, and Egypt. The phoenix is often decribed as a fire bird or the symbol of fire and fierceness. It also appears in many fantasy epics such as the Harry Potter Series.

Phoenix

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Origin: This is one of the many accounts that tell about the origin of the phoenix. A bird in India reaches the age of 500 years, and it flies to a frankincense tree. In the tree, the bird fills its wings with the various spices. When early spring arrives, a priest at Heliopolis buries an altar in twigs. The phoenix comes to the city, spots the altar, and lights a fire. It is soon consumed in the flames. The next day, a worm is found in the ashes of the bird. In a day's time, the worm has transformed into a small bird, and on the third day, it is a duplicate of the phoenix. The new bird then retreats to its place of origin.

Description: A phoenix is a magical eagle-like bird that soars through the skies in flames. It has golden or red plumage that manage to spark fire time to time. A phoenix is about the size of an eagle, but its eyes are milder and more tender than those of the majestic eagle. The beak of this bird is sometimes described as a hue of rose, and its neck sometimes shows the vibrant colors of the rainbow.

Lifestyle: Like an eagle, a phoenix is a bird of prey. They swoop into the cold Arctic waters to seek out a snack. The prey of a phoenix may include fish, krill, baby mammals, and the ears of adult bears. It may seem impossible, but the eternal fire inside of a phoenix is able to withstand the cold waters it dives into. These birds make their nests in trees of frankincense and myrrh. In oak and palm trees, a phoenix may collect cinnamon, spikenard, and myrrh.

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