Mythical Creatures [EDITING]

Cinnamologus (Cinnamon Bird)

The cinnamologus is perhaps one of the strangest explanations for a naturally-occurring commodity. As far back as the 5th century BC, cinnamon was a highly desired spice. According to Greek writers like Pliny the Elder and Herodotus, the most valuable cinnamon was that which was gathered by the cinnamologus. Pliny the Elder's Natural History says that these giants birds build their nests only from sticks of cinnamon that they gather from cinnamon trees. Since they are so high up in the trees and so delicate, the only way to get the cinnamon down is to throw lead balls up at the nests to knock the cinnamon sticks loose.

The same story is told later by Isidore of Seville in the 7th century, while Herodotus tells a slightly different version of the story of the cinnamologus in the 5th century. According to the historian, these Arabian birds collect the sticks and build their nests high up on sheer rock faces, cementing them in place with mud. Those who are collecting the cinnamon cut oxen and other large animals into large pieces, leaving them at the base of the cliff and enticing the birds to carry them up to their nests. The nests can't support the weight of the prey and fall, allowing them to collect the cinnamon—and sell it for quite the profit.

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Information from listverse.com

Image from pinterest.com