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This is an illustration of the old belief that the tail of a beaver was considered fish-like in nature and was therefore acceptable as food for fast days during the Middle Ages. The notion bases animal classification as much on habit as anatomy. The beaver is a semi aquatic rodent after all.
Here's a closer look at that tail. It certainly does have mullet like qualities.
Platearius, Livre des simples médecines, ca 1480. Paris, Biblioteque Nationale, Département des manuscrits, Français 12322, folio 188
Beaver photo courtesy of Wikicommons - No, I'm not a wildlife photographer:)
2 comments:
That is truly amazing information, Marie. The illustration is wonderful. I wonder if that belief still holds true today. This would be an interesting option to fish sticks on Fridays!
Very interesting project. I should visit your chateau someday. But I want to see it populated with re-enactors and other actors, pour la joie de vivre in medieval times. Marie Isabelle, you better be the hostess/damsel in distress! :) Knights and ladies from all over the world should come for a merry time at your cool place in Burgundy! Make it a lively place, not a dusty museum.
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