Unicorns are mentioned in The Bible nine times:
Job 39:9 “Will the unicorn be willing to serve thee, or abide by thy crib?”
Job 39:10 “Canst thou bind the unicorn with his band in the furrow? or will he harrow the valleys after thee?”
Psalm 22:21 “But my horn shalt thou exalt like the horn of an unicorn: I shall be anointed with fresh oil.”
Psalm 92:10 “But my horn shalt thou exalt like the horn of an unicorn: I shall be anointed with fresh oil.”
Deuteronomy 33:17 “His glory is like the firstling of his bullock, and his horns are like the horns of unicorns: with them he shall push the people together to the ends of the earth: and they are the ten thousands of Ephraim, and they are the thousands of Manasseh.”
Numbers 23:22 “God brought them out of Egypt; he hath as it were the strength of an unicorn.”
Numbers 24:8 “God brought him forth out of Egypt; he hath as it were the strength of an unicorn: he shall eat up the nations his enemies, and shall break their bones, and pierce them through with his arrows.”
Isaiah 34:7 “And the unicorns shall come down with them, and the bullocks with the bulls; and their land shall be soaked with blood, and their dust made fat with fatness.”
Psalm 29:6 “He maketh them also to skip like a calf; Lebanon and Sirion like a young unicorn.”
In my novel, A Lost Gospel, Jesus (Yeshua) has human doubts about being executed. On the eve of his Crucifixion, he escapes into the trees from those sent to arrest him. There he meets Glarus and two unicorns, who had been present at his birth. Symmetry. She shows him that the night is this night.
“We won’t be going further.” Glarus reigned in her horse, and slipped from its back. “There are voices.”
“Is it Yeshua?” Ogma was quickly on the ground.
“He is at hand.” Glarus walked toward the unicorns. “They await me.” She touched Bettine and Sirona. “They take me.”
“They frighten me.” Sirona stepped back.
“Your task is done.” Glarus walked past the women. “Stay here with the others.”
“What of you?” Cowin reached out his hand, although she was not close enough to touch.
“The unicorns lead me to Yeshua.”
“Is this for you alone, Glarus of the Mountains?” Ogma took a step toward her.
“It must be my voice he hears.”
“We’ll remain here.” Belenus put a hand on Ogma’s shoulder. “Do what is necessary, my sister.”
Glarus joined with the unicorns. They walked through the grove, toward the voices which rose and fell on the night breeze. The animals were in front, a pallid moonlight reflecting from their white backs. Glarus paused to listen, and the unicorns stopped instantly, their ears twitching, and their gaze fixed before them. The voices were confused, and yelling at cross-purposes, creating a jumble of noise in the distance.
Glarus touched the haunch of each animal, solid and silent in the dark. She could hear someone moving through the olive grove, much closer than the clamouring voices in the distance. She was surprised, because the person approaching was not making the sounds of someone concerned with pursuers. She had assumed there would be haste, but now realized there was only uncertainty.
Glarus lifted her hands, for the unicorns had become hot to touch. She breathed deeply, and loosened her cloak, closing her eyes as the warmth penetrated. Stillness filled the olive grove, and when she again opened her eyes, the unicorns were gone.
She followed them, her feet seeming to make no noise on the earth. The branches touched her cloak, and the moon revealed the secrets of the night.
Ahead of her, between two thick trees, a man stood before the unicorns. He had his hands outstretched, and brushed his fingers across their manes. They stepped forward, and rested their heads against his legs. They had closed their eyes. The man looked up from them, and gazed into Glarus’ face.
“This is the time.” Glarus spoke softly.
“I know your voice.”
“You may give yourself.” Glarus stepped closer.
“My father takes this cup from me tonight?”‘
“Yes.”
“They won’t kill me in this place?” Yeshua glanced around the olive grove.
“I have but followed the unicorns.” Glarus touched them. “They have led me here to take away your doubt.”
“We’ve met before.”
“A baby in a stable.” Glarus smiled at him. “You have become more than memory.”
“Do you still have spice upon your cloak?” Yeshua turned from her. “Behold. These men and their hatred approach.” He put a hand on each of the ivory shafts. “You must be gone.” Yeshua stepped aside. “Call them.” He smiled. “They are yours again.”
“Haah.”
The unicorns pawed at the ground near Yeshua, then went toward Glarus.
“More than memory.” She looked at him closely. “And more than just a man.”
Glarus put a hand on each unicorn’s back, and together they returned the way they had come.
DE
It was not a day like any other day, so I suppose it did not start like any other day. I don’t know.
However the day started, it did not end well. It did not go well. It ceased being well half way through.
Half way through the day that did not end well, on the street that leads to the Causeway that crosses the Bay that leads to the street that takes you into the heart of the city, the police pulled over the dump truck of delights.
One police car with flashing lights approached the dump truck of delights and pulled it to the side of the road and parked behind it with its lights still flashing and . . .
Well, that was it.
The dump truck, painted a utilitarian grey with a rusty dump covered in a tied-down tarpaulin, was stopped. Halted. Pulled to the side of the road by the black-and-white police car with its flashing blue-and-red-and-white lights flashing dully off the dull dump truck.
Far enough!
End of line!
Turn off the engine!
Chock the wheels!
And that was that. In sight of the city proper. So near and yet so far. Over the Causeway was the forbidden land. Do Not Enter!
For the Dump Truck of Delights would rouse the populace and inflame the imagination and loosen too too many tethers.
There were unicorns, of course, in the Dump Truck of Delights.
And Spheres with moons and stars whizzing around them.
And rabbit holes to disappear into.
And cotton candy, floating floating floating like clouds.
And real clouds coloured like cotton candy.
And the Tree of Knowledge weighted down with fruit.
And angels and seraphim with trumpets and harps and chubby cherubim with big brass drums.
And the joys of the flesh and the hopes of the soul.
And the biggest, the widest, the firmest beds where anyone, anywhere, ever eased off into sleep.
There were warming winds.
There were cooling breezes.
The food and drink were – well – beyond description.
So – of course – the police were instructed to stop the Dump Truck of Delights, and keep such pleasure and peace from the people. To make sure it would not cross the Causeway and disrupt the commerce of the city.
Besides – the driver had no permit to transport unicorns.
DE BA UEL
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