At the beginning of the 21st Century monsters still roam the remote, and sometimes not so remote, corners of our planet. It is our job to search for them. The Centre for Fortean Zoology [CFZ] is - we believe - the largest professional, scientific and full-time organisation in the world dedicated to cryptozoology - the study of unknown animals. Since 1992 the CFZ has carried out an unparalleled programme of research and investigation all over the world. Since 2009 we have been running the increasingly popular CFZ Blog Network, and although there has been an American branch of the CFZ for over ten years now, it is only now that it has a dedicated blog.

Monday 30 June 2014

WHITE ELEPHANT

White elephant
The term "white elephant" is frequently used, but a question that might be posed is whether such things exist.  The answer to this is both yes and no.

There are elephants which are termed white and these were an emblem of royalty in south-east Asia, in that kings sought them.  The present King of Thailand, Rama IX, has a number of them.  However, they are not actually white.  They are, in fact, of a pink or brown color.  As they are albinos, this has probably led to the term "white elephant" being applied to them. 

Pure white elephants occur in oriental mythology and religion.    The Hindu god Indra is said to ride one.  Buddha's mother is said to have dreamed of one before he was born.

The showman P.T. Barnum wished to exhibit a white elephant.  Finding they were in reality pink, he obtained a normal elephant and whitewashed it, no doubt fooling a gullible public.


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