National Unicorn Day on April 9th each year celebrates the mythical horse-like creature with a single, pointed horn growing from the center of its forehead.
- 2000 BC – The most common feature on soapstone stamps in the Bronze Age, this version of the unicorn has a body more like a cow.
- 400 BC – Greek historian, Ctesias, describes this Indian animal as the size of a horse with a white body, purple head, blue eyes and a cubit-long horn on its forehead.
- 1460 – From 1460-1488 King James III issued coins that depicted the unicorn. It’s said that the unicorn was chosen to be Scotland’s national symbol because the unicorn is the natural enemy of the lion–which is England’s national symbol.
- 18th Century – In the 18th century, London pharmacies sold powdered unicorn horns as a general treatment. The treatment stems from the belief that if placed on a wound, the unicorn horn will rapidly heal it.
- 1707 – A lion and a unicorn are placed on the British coat of arms symbolizing the joining of the Scottish Unicorn and the English Lion.
- 1971 – Lake Superior State University, in Michigan, continues to issue Unicorn Hunting Permits. This is their 53rd year.
- 1980s – Whether on stickers, t-shirts, or lunch boxes, the rainbow unicorn quickly becomes a symbol beloved by little girls, with the Lisa Frank company having a huge impact.
- 1980 – A unicorn is first displayed in U.S. circuses. It’s made by fusing goats’ horns after birth.
- 1980 – An application is filed for a patent in the U.S. to surgically grow unicorns.
- 1997 – In the magical world of Harry Potter, created by J.K. Rowling, the unicorn makes an appearance in a variety of ways throughout the series.
- 2015 – The first National Unicorn Day is celebrated on April 9.
- 2017 – Starbucks cannot help but get in on the rainbow fun when it launches its Unicorn Frappuccino.
- Unicorns have been a popular mythical creature since the Ancient Greek times when people believed they lived in exotic India.
- While they were once considered to be fierce, powerful animals, many now see them as a symbol of love, purity, enchantment, and magic.
- In fact, there is even a sculpture of the Virgin Mary holding a unicorn on her lap and patting it in Warsaw’s National Museum.
- The most prominent more modern examples include Lewis Carroll’s Through the Looking Glass, J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, and The Last Battle by C.S. Lewis. The whole immensely popular My Little Pony franchise is also based on unicorns.
- Unicorns are earthbound and do not have wings.
- The Unicorn’s eyes are Sky Blue or Purple.
- 1 – the number of horns a unicorn has.
- 6,000 – the estimated number of years that unicorns have been around for.
- 5 – the number of unicorns that live in a group.
- 2 – the number of colors unicorns mostly are — white and black.
- 10,000 pounds – the price Queen Elizabeth I paid to purchase a spiral horn.
- A group of unicorns is called a blessing.
- The word unicorn comes from the Latin word unus, meaning one, and cornu meaning horn.
- A baby unicorn is called a sparkle.
- They are solar-powered. They actually use their horns to absorb the sun’s light and convert it into energy.
- According to mythology, whoever touches a pure White Unicorn, will find happiness and joy in his entire life.
- Those iconic horns have a name. They are called “alicorns” and are said to contain magical healing powers.
- The Unicorn is thought to hold the power to divine truth and will pierce the heart of a liar with its horn.
- The unicorn is the national animal of Scotland. Seriously. Scotland even has a national unicorn day. It’s celebrated on April 9 and is considered a lucky day for the Scots.
- The word ‘unicorn’ comes from Latin. ‘Uni’ is Latin for ‘single’, while ‘cornu’ is Latin for horn. Thus the word unicorn translates to ‘single horn’.
- In the United States, a patent was granted for a surgical procedure that transforms horses into unicorns. However, no true transformation is produced by the procedure.
- Unicorns are both very shy and masters of disguise. This is why so few are spotted.
- The traditional method of hunting unicorns involved entrapment by a virgin.
- One activity that could be perfectly suited to this day would be sitting down to watch a good fantasy film, preferably one that includes unicorns, of course! It’s likely to have been a long time since having watched The Chronicles of Narnia. Try out one of these interesting films that include a unicorn or two:
- Legend (1986). This less-than-well-known film actually features a fairly noteworthy cast, including Tom Cruise, Tim Curry and Mia Sara, where darkness (Tim Curry) seeks to eradicate unicorns from existence.
- Stardust (2007). Starring Clare Danes, this fantasy movie shows how a fallen star (in the shape of a woman) is rescued with the help of a unicorn.
- Blade Runner (1982). In this sci-fi film, the unicorn plays a symbolic role in a dream as well as in the form of a paper origami shape.
- Fantasia 2000 (1999). This remake of the classic animated Disney film features Mickey Mouse and his incredible group of friends–including a brief scene with a unicorn who laughs at the other animals going to Noah’s ark.
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