Mythical Creatures [EDITING]

Phoenix

  In the still of the night, just before sunrise, a magnificent creature builds its nest. You stop and watch as it carefully puts each spice, clove, and branch that lay before it in place with meticulous detail. As you stand and watch, you are struck by the tiredness of the creature that is clearly evident – though in no way takes away from its beauty. The sun begins to rise and the bird begins to stretch. Its feathers are a beautiful hue of gold and red – the Phoenix. It cranes its head back as it sings a haunting melody that stops the sun itself in the sky. A spark falls from the heavens and ignites a great fire that consumes both bird and nest – but don't worry. In three days, the Phoenix will rise from the ashes – born again. 

What is A Phoenix?

The story of the Phoenix is legendary and is likely one of the most well known ancient myths in modern day. The legend is famous for the many elements it is said to concern – life and death, creation and destruction, even time itself is tied with the tale of the Phoenix.

The Phoenix was known to be a majestic bird-like creature that lived in Paradise. The Phoenix, like all other creatures who live in Paradise, was known to live a good life. It was a land of unimaginable perfection and beauty and was said to exist somewhere beyond the brilliance of the sun. However, in time, the bird began to feel the affects of its age. After 1,000 years had passed, it was ready to move on.

As the Phoenix was known to live in Paradise, it was also known that it could never truly die. However, it was possible for the creature to be reborn. As such, this is what happened in order for the creature to be born again.

The Rebirth of the Phoenix

First, the Phoenix flew west into the mortal world. It was necessary to come to leave Paradise and enter our world so that the creature could be reborn. It flew west until it reached the spice groves that grew in Arabia. It stopped there to collect only the finest herbs and spices (especially cinnamon) before continuing its journey to Phoenicia (which was likely named after the creature). Once the Phoenix reached Phoenicia, it built a nest of the herbs and spices it had gathered and waited for the sun to rise.

The next morning, when the sun god began to drag his chariot across the sky, the Phoenix would turn east to face him as the sun rose above the horizon. It would then sing one of the most beautiful and haunting melodies known to man – so perfect that even the sun god had to pause and listen to the sweet notes. When the Phoenix finished its farewell song, the sun god readied his chariots and continued his journey across the sky. This caused a spark to fall from the sky and ignite the nest of herbs and the Phoenix in flames. All that was left was a tiny worm.

This, however, was not the end of the cycle. After three days, a new Phoenix would rise from the ashes (supposedly transformed from the worm) and begin the next cycle of 1,000 years. It would carry the remaining ashes of its parent to the great Heliopolis and then return to Paradise until its cycle came to an end.

Alternate Variations of the Story

While the above tale is the most common version of the rebirth of the Phoenix, there are alternative versions that are also passed down. The first is that instead of flying to Phoenicia to end its cycle of life, the Phoenix flew to Heliopolis and gave itself to the fires of the sun city. From these fires, the new Phoenix emerges and then flies back to the land of Paradise.

There are also some versions where the Phoenix completes its journey as described above (from Paradise to Arabia and then Phoenicia) and then dies with the rising of the sun the next morning. The body begins to decompose (most versions of this story say this process lasts three days) and once it has reached the final stages of decomposition the new Phoenix emerges from the remains of the first.