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Vegetable Lamb of Tartary

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from it, would perish. The vegetable lamb was believed to have blood, bones, and flesh like that of a normal lamb. It was connected to the earth by a stem, similar to an umbilical cord, that propped the lamb up above ground. The cord could flex downward, allowing the lamb to feed on the grass and plants surrounding it. Once the plants within reach were eaten, the lamb died. It could be eaten, once dead, and its blood supposedly tasted sweet like honey. Its wool was said to be used by the native people of its homeland to make head coverings and other articles of clothing. The only carnivorous animals attracted to the lamb plant (other than humans) were wolves.
264: 38: 350: 100: 256: 396:, who in 1517 and 1526 was the ambassador to the Emperors Maximilian I and Charles V, presented a much more detailed account of the Barometz in his "Notes on Russia." He claimed to have heard from too many credible sources to doubt the lamb's existence, and gave the location of the creature as being near the 306:‎), was like a lamb in form and sprouted from the earth connected to a stem. Those who went hunting the Yeduah could only harvest the creature by severing it from its stem with arrows or darts. Once the animal was severed, it died and its bones could be used in divination and prophetic ceremonies. 246:
describes the legendary lamb as believed to be both a true animal and a living plant. However, he states that some writers believed the lamb to be the fruit of a plant, sprouting forward from melon-like seeds. Others, however, believed the lamb to be a living member of the plant that, once separated
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points to Chinese legends of the "watersheep" as inspiration for the legend of the Vegetable Lamb of Tartary. Much like the vegetable lamb, the watersheep was believed to be both plant and animal, and tales of its existence placed it near Persia. It was connected to the ground by a stem and, if the
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An alternative version of the legend tells of the "jeduah", a human-shaped plant-animal connected to the earth from a stem attached to its navel. The jeduah was believed to be aggressive, though, grabbing and killing any creature that wandered too close. Like the Barometz, it too died once severed
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accompanied an embassy to Persia in 1683 with the intention of locating the lamb. After speaking with native inhabitants and finding no physical evidence of the lamb-plant, Kaempfer concluded it to be nothing but legend. However, he observed the custom of removing an unborn lamb from its mother's
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Earlier versions of the legend tell of the lamb as a fruit, springing from a melon or gourd-like seed, perfectly formed as if born naturally. As time passed, this idea was replaced with the notion that the creature was indeed both a living animal and a living plant. Schlegel, in his work on the
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stem were severed, it would die. The animal was protected from aggressors by an enclosure built around it and by armored men yelling and beating drums. Its wool was also said to be used for fine clothing and headdresses. (In turn, the origin of watersheep is an explanation for
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is credited with bringing the legend to public attention in Europe. It describes a strange gourd-like fruit grown in Tartary. Once ripe, the fruit was cut open, revealing what looked like a lamb in flesh and blood but lacking wool. The fruit and the lamb could then be eaten.
584:. After describing the purely vegetable nature of the so-called lamb, he noted: "This article will give us the occasion to express more useful ideas against superstition and prejudice than merely to question the usefulness of the Scythian lamb as a cure for spitting blood." 404:
and Volga rivers. The creature grown from the melon-like seeds described was said to grow to 2.5 ft (0.76 m), resembling a lamb in most ways except a few. It was said to have blood, but not true flesh, as it more closely resembled
317:, upon recalling first hearing of the vegetable lamb, told of trees on the shore of the Irish Sea with gourd-like fruits that fell into the water and became birds called Bernacles. He is referring to the legendary plant-animal known as the 733: 392:, the Lamb of Tartary was a frequent object of philosophical and botanical debate. It became an important heuristic to discuss the natural order of things and the Aristotelian scale of beings. The mid-16th century, 195: 422:, was the origin of the myth. Sloane found the specimen in a Chinese cabinet of curiosities he acquired. The "lamb" is produced by removing the leaves from a short length of the fern's woolly 739: 325:" that would live in the water, growing to mature geese. The alleged existence of this fellow plant-animal was accepted as an explanation for migrating geese from the North. 438:
and believed the practice to be a possible source of the legend. He speculated further that museum specimens of the fetal wool could be mistaken for a vegetable substance.
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wrote of trees in India "the fruit whereof is a wool exceeding in beauty and goodness that of sheep. The natives make their clothes of this tree-wool."
385:, much like Mandeville, travelled extensively and claimed to have heard of gourds in Persia that, when ripe, opened to contain lamb-like beasts. 1200:"The vegetable lamb of Tartary; a curious fable of the cotton plant. To which is added a sketch of the history of cotton and the cotton trade." 963: 1170:
The Encyclopedia of Diderot & d'Alembert Collaborative Translation Project. Translated by Malcolm Eden, Web. Trans. of "Agnus scythicus"
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various legends of the vegetable lamb, recounts the lamb being born without its horns, but with two puffs of white, curly hair instead.
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The Shui-yang or Watersheep and The Agnus Scythicus or Vegetable Lamb. Acts of the 8th International Congress of Orientalists.
263: 321:, which was believed to drop its ripened fruit into the sea near the Orkney Islands. The ripened fruit would then release " 1256: 1251: 642:, there is an enemy character named Baromett, who is depicted as a sheep whose lower half is covered in an oversized red 1261: 302: 393: 162: 1199: 1193: 620:
anime series, characters Constanze and Akko require a Barometz plant for the development of the Stanship Mecha.
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and grazed the land around the plant. When all accessible foliage was gone, both the plant and sheep died.
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A supplement to Mr. Chambers's cyclopædia: or, universal dictionary of arts and sciences. In two volumes
680: 616: 178: 783: 491:(1587). In the poem, Adam wanders the Garden of Eden and is amazed by the peculiarity of the creature. 729: 607: 611:
depicts a Barometz plant whose fruit naturally grows into the shape of a sheep, but taste like crab.
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Pseudodoxia Epidemica, Or, Enquiries Into Very Many Received Tenents, and Commonly Presumed Truths
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Schlegel, Gustav. "The Shui-yang or Watersheep and The Agnus Scythicus or Vegetable Lamb".
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Fanciful depiction of cotton by John Mandeville, featuring sheep instead of cotton bolls.
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An illustration of the specimen of the vegetable lamb, actually the rhizome of the fern
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Carrubba, Robert (1993). "Engelbert Kaempfer and the Myth of the Scythian Lamb".
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included in a letter published in Philosophical Transactions, volume 20, in 1698.
1172:. Ann Arbor: Scholarly Publishing Office of the University of Michigan Library. 1149:
ou Dictionnaire raisonné des sciences, des arts et des métiers. pp. 179–180
738:. Vol. 1. London: Book-sellers. Agnus scythicus, p. AGN-AGO. Archived from 598: 413: 397: 389: 274: 255: 948: 401: 881:"Fantastically Wrong: When People Thought Lambs Grew Right Out of the Ground" 638: 406: 282: 154: 907:"The Vegetable Lamb of Tartary: Renaissance Philosophy, Magic, and Botany" 593:, the characters Cott and Ton are portrayed as anthropomorphized Barometz. 338: 220: 204: 131: 17: 1073: 1038: 423: 208: 36: 643: 330:
The Shui-yang or Watersheep and The Agnus Scythicus or Vegetable Lamb
158: 1065: 1030: 985:. London: Sampson, Low, Marston. Searle, & Rivington. p. 24 211:, resembling the figure and structure of a lamb. It was also called 348: 262: 254: 143: 139: 112: 98: 767:. London: Sampson Low, Marston, Searle, & Rivington. p.  543:(1791), De la Croix writes of the vegetable lamb (translated): 146:. It was believed the sheep were connected to the plant by an 702:. Vol. 3 (4 ed.). London: Edward Dod. p. 227 500:
But with true beasts, fast in the ground still sticking
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Tryon, Alice (1957). "The Vegetable Lamb of Tartary".
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Acts of the 8th International Congress of Orientalists
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as early as AD 436. This creature, called the Yeduah (
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Folklore and Symbolism of Flowers, Plants, and Trees
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The beast hath root, the plant hath flesh and blood.
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The plant with plants his hungry paunch doth feede,
89: 81: 73: 65: 57: 49: 947: 879: 518:That they have browzed the neighboring grass away. 528:The plant is leafless, branchless, void of fruit, 510:Of new-yeaned lambs have full the form and guise, 103:The Vegetable Lamb in a 17th-century illustration 558:And wakes at night, though rooted in the ground, 502:Feeding on grass, and th' airy moisture licking, 530:The beast is lustless, sexless, fireless, mute: 508:Although their bodies, noses, mouths, and eyes, 471:And round and round her flexile neck she bends, 461:E'en round the Pole the flames of love aspire, 288:There is mention of a similar plant-animal in 860: 858: 516:Which at their navel grows, and dies that day 8: 679:These are not scientific names, but predate 512:And should be very lambs, save that for foot 506:Of slender seeds, and with green fodder fed; 354: 30: 574:wrote an article about the vegetable lamb, 541:Connubia Florum, Latino Carmine Demonstrata 534:Th' admired beast is sowen a slender seed. 473:Crops the grey coral moss, and hoary thyme, 469:Rooted in earth, each cloven foot descends, 122: 116: 77:Scythian Lamb, Borometz, Barometz, Borametz 954:. Portland, Oregon: Timber Press. p.  560:To feed on grass within its reach around. 548:For in his path he sees a monstrous birth, 526:The nummed beast can neither stir nor goe, 477:Eyes with mute tenderness her distant dam, 475:Or laps with rosy tongue the melting rime; 465:Cradled in snow, and fanned by Arctic air, 554:A rooted plant bears quadruped for fruit, 487:writes of the vegetable lamb in his poem 524:The nimble plant can turn it to and fro, 514:Within the ground they fix a living root 467:Shines, gentle borametz, thy golden hair 832: 830: 672: 805: 803: 782:Wurgaft, Benjamin Aldes (2019-08-05). 504:Such as those Borametz in Scythia bred 479:And seems to bleat – a vegetable lamb 359:(The Baromez, or Scythian Lamb)" from 29: 1247:Medieval European legendary creatures 578:, in the first edition (1751) of the 552:Upon a stalk is fixed a living brute, 520:Oh! Wondrous nature of God only good, 7: 1194:"The travels of Sir John Mandeville" 905:Baldassarri, Fabrizio (2021-12-22). 463:And icy bosoms feel the secret fire, 1168:Diderot (Biography), Denis (2003). 868:. Leiden: E. J. Brill, 1892, p. 23. 848:Lehner, Ernst, and Johanna Lehner. 556:…It is an animal that sleeps by day 456:(1781), he writes of the Borametz: 550:The Borametz arises from the earth 374:The Travels of Sir John Mandeville 25: 1007:Leiden: E. J. Brill, 1892, p. 31. 429:The German scholar and physician 356:Das Boramez, oder Scythische Lamm 1227:, Pseudodoxia Epidemica, III.28 1217: (archived August 15, 2013) 485:Guillaume de Salluste Du Bartas 361:Friedrich Johann Justin Bertuch 1106: 1096:. London: Jones & Company. 929: 836: 821: 809: 1: 982:The Vegetable Lamb of Tartary 784:"Animal, Vegetable, or Both?" 764:The Vegetable Lamb of Tartary 416:claimed a Chinese tree fern, 240:The Vegetable Lamb of Tartary 153:Underlying the legend is the 44:The Vegetable Lamb of Tartary 27:Legendary Central Asian plant 878:Simon, Matt (Apr 30, 2014). 363:'s picture book for children 203:was described as a kind of 1278: 1206:"The History of Herodotus" 159:unknown in Northern Europe 1233:(Natural history. Botany) 1178:2027/spo.did2222.0000.230 434:womb in order to harvest 394:Sigismund von Herberstein 355: 301: 297: 293: 163:Norman conquest of Sicily 124:Planta Tartarica Barometz 109:Vegetable Lamb of Tartary 35: 31:Vegetable Lamb of Tartary 1211:Legend of the Lamb-Plant 1120:Legend of the Lamb Plant 138:, once believed to grow 614:In the 18th episode of 345:In search of the legend 1145:. Vol. 1. Paris: 1126:Vol. 2(3) (fall 1992). 563: 537: 482: 371:The 14th century book 364: 278: 260: 219:and bore the reported 123: 117: 104: 41: 1019:American Fern Journal 681:binomial nomenclature 617:Little Witch Academia 545: 497: 458: 352: 266: 258: 179:Pseudodoxia Epidemica 102: 40: 1257:Mythological hybrids 1252:Mythological caprids 608:Delicious in Dungeon 587:In the manga series 281:The Greek historian 1262:Mythological plants 1054:The Classical World 979:Lee, Henry (1887). 761:Lee, Henry (1887). 566:Cultural references 315:Odoric of Pordenone 313:The Minorite Friar 32: 1093:The Botanic Garden 1003:Schlegel, Gustav. 726:George Lewis Scott 657:Legendary creature 596:In the video game 453:The Botanic Garden 431:Engelbert Kaempfer 365: 279: 261: 207:, said to grow in 105: 61:Myth based on fact 42: 965:978-0-88192-630-9 944:Braggins, John E. 419:Cibotium barometz 270:Cibotium barometz 213:Agnus Vegetabilis 97: 96: 16:(Redirected from 1269: 1182: 1181: 1165: 1159: 1158: 1156: 1154: 1133: 1127: 1116: 1110: 1104: 1098: 1097: 1084: 1078: 1077: 1049: 1043: 1042: 1014: 1008: 1001: 995: 994: 992: 990: 976: 970: 969: 953: 942:Large, Mark F.; 939: 933: 927: 921: 920: 918: 917: 902: 896: 895: 893: 892: 883: 875: 869: 862: 853: 846: 840: 834: 825: 819: 813: 807: 798: 797: 795: 794: 779: 773: 772: 758: 752: 751: 749: 747: 742:on 25 March 2018 722:Ephraim Chambers 718: 712: 711: 709: 707: 690: 684: 677: 636:spin-off series 626:Madou Monogatari 493:Joshua Sylvester 383:Odoric of Friuli 358: 357: 305: 303:אַדְנֵי הַשָׂדֵה 299: 295: 251:Possible origins 217:Agnus Tartaricus 191:Ephraim Chambers 182:named it as the 126: 120: 33: 21: 1277: 1276: 1272: 1271: 1270: 1268: 1267: 1266: 1237: 1236: 1231:Agnus scythicus 1215:Wayback Machine 1190: 1185: 1167: 1166: 1162: 1152: 1150: 1142:Agnus scythicus 1135: 1134: 1130: 1117: 1113: 1105: 1101: 1088:Darwin, Erasmus 1086: 1085: 1081: 1066:10.2307/4351440 1051: 1050: 1046: 1031:10.2307/1545391 1016: 1015: 1011: 1002: 998: 988: 986: 978: 977: 973: 966: 941: 940: 936: 928: 924: 915: 913: 904: 903: 899: 890: 888: 877: 876: 872: 863: 856: 847: 843: 835: 828: 820: 816: 808: 801: 792: 790: 781: 780: 776: 760: 759: 755: 745: 743: 732:, eds. (1753). 720: 719: 715: 705: 703: 692: 691: 687: 678: 674: 670: 662:Vegetable sheep 653: 632:series and its 576:agnus scythicus 568: 562: 559: 557: 555: 553: 551: 549: 536: 533: 531: 529: 527: 525: 523: 521: 519: 517: 515: 513: 511: 509: 507: 505: 503: 501: 481: 478: 476: 474: 472: 470: 468: 466: 464: 462: 444: 347: 334:Gustav Schlegel 310:from its stem. 290:Jewish folklore 253: 201:Agnus scythicus 171: 169:Characteristics 118:Agnus scythicus 45: 28: 23: 22: 15: 12: 11: 5: 1275: 1273: 1265: 1264: 1259: 1254: 1249: 1239: 1238: 1235: 1234: 1228: 1218: 1208: 1203: 1197: 1196:, 1900 reprint 1189: 1188:External links 1186: 1184: 1183: 1160: 1128: 1118:Ho, Judith J. 1111: 1099: 1079: 1044: 1009: 996: 971: 964: 934: 922: 897: 870: 854: 841: 826: 814: 799: 774: 753: 713: 685: 671: 669: 666: 665: 664: 659: 652: 649: 648: 647: 621: 612: 603: 594: 590:Monster Musume 585: 567: 564: 546: 498: 459: 448:Erasmus Darwin 443: 440: 407:that of a crab 400:, between the 346: 343: 323:barnacle geese 252: 249: 170: 167: 148:umbilical cord 95: 94: 91: 87: 86: 83: 79: 78: 75: 71: 70: 67: 66:First attested 63: 62: 59: 55: 54: 51: 47: 46: 43: 26: 24: 14: 13: 10: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 1274: 1263: 1260: 1258: 1255: 1253: 1250: 1248: 1245: 1244: 1242: 1232: 1229: 1226: 1225:Thomas Browne 1222: 1219: 1216: 1212: 1209: 1207: 1204: 1201: 1198: 1195: 1192: 1191: 1187: 1179: 1175: 1171: 1164: 1161: 1148: 1144: 1143: 1138: 1137:Denis Diderot 1132: 1129: 1125: 1121: 1115: 1112: 1108: 1103: 1100: 1095: 1094: 1089: 1083: 1080: 1075: 1071: 1067: 1063: 1060:(1): 41–47 . 1059: 1055: 1048: 1045: 1040: 1036: 1032: 1028: 1024: 1020: 1013: 1010: 1006: 1000: 997: 984: 983: 975: 972: 967: 961: 957: 952: 951: 945: 938: 935: 931: 926: 923: 912: 908: 901: 898: 887: 882: 874: 871: 867: 861: 859: 855: 851: 845: 842: 838: 833: 831: 827: 823: 818: 815: 811: 806: 804: 800: 789: 785: 778: 775: 770: 766: 765: 757: 754: 741: 737: 736: 731: 727: 723: 717: 714: 701: 700: 695: 694:Thomas Browne 689: 686: 682: 676: 673: 667: 663: 660: 658: 655: 654: 650: 645: 641: 640: 635: 631: 628: 627: 622: 619: 618: 613: 610: 609: 604: 601: 600: 595: 592: 591: 586: 583: 582: 577: 573: 572:Denis Diderot 570: 569: 565: 561: 544: 542: 535: 496: 494: 490: 486: 480: 457: 455: 454: 449: 441: 439: 437: 436:the soft wool 432: 427: 425: 421: 420: 415: 410: 408: 403: 399: 395: 391: 386: 384: 379: 376: 375: 369: 362: 351: 344: 342: 340: 335: 331: 326: 324: 320: 319:barnacle tree 316: 311: 307: 304: 291: 286: 284: 276: 272: 271: 265: 257: 250: 248: 245: 241: 238:In his book, 236: 234: 230: 226: 222: 218: 214: 210: 206: 202: 198: 197: 192: 187: 185: 181: 180: 175: 174:Thomas Browne 168: 166: 164: 160: 156: 151: 149: 145: 141: 137: 133: 130: 125: 119: 114: 110: 101: 92: 88: 84: 80: 76: 74:Other name(s) 72: 68: 64: 60: 56: 52: 48: 39: 34: 19: 1169: 1163: 1151:. 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Index

Barometz


Latin
legendary
zoophyte
Central Asia
sheep
fruit
umbilical cord
cotton plant
unknown in Northern Europe
Norman conquest of Sicily
Thomas Browne
Pseudodoxia Epidemica
Ephraim Chambers
Cyclopædia
zoophyte
Tartary
endonyms
Henry Lee


Cibotium barometz
Hans Sloane
Herodotus
Jewish folklore
אַדְנֵי הַשָׂדֵה
Odoric of Pordenone
barnacle tree

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