Griffins are another mystical animal. The griffin, griffon, or gryphon is a legendary creature with the body, tail, and back legs of a lion, and the head and wings of an eagle with talons. They are prominent in Asian and Greek culture, typically in places that provide sanctuary. In legends, the griffin’s precise nature is predominantly unknown, or so many think. The fae holds griffins in a place of honor because of their story of the beginning of the griffin.
In all legends and folklore, griffins are the trusted guards for kings and nobility, living in the mountains guarding primarily gold and other priceless processions and treasures. The most commonly known places tribes of griffins dwelled are in the Rhipaean and Hyperorean mountains and a few in the Indian desert. It’s commonly believed their primary job was to guard over the king’s gold. However, the griffins’ most prized duty, wherever they lived, was to guard over the green gold, inherent in forests.
All the green gold and most other treasures are believed to be stored underground. And it has been said there is more gold in the north.
Many cultures have griffins. Some of the common names are: gryps, gryphoi, gryphis, gryphi, gricis, grifes, griffe, griffon, griphe, gripon, gryphon, and vespulione. No matter the name, they are considered beasts who all have a similar appearance with minimal differences. One primary difference is that the griffin’s head is always an eagle-like image, but in some traditions, it’s suggested there are some that cross eagles with lion influences. Another difference is in how the claws are described.
Few know of the sea-griffin, also called a gryphon marine, which is a heraldic variant of the griffin possessing the head and legs of the more common variant and the hindquarters of a fish or a mermaid.
There is very little known about the origin of the griffin. This is one reason I am grateful for the fae sharing so much with me. Sadly, not all they share is joyous. One such tragic piece of information is that not all wizards are full, honest, pure, and true.
This is known to have caused the griffins, as their origin is the result of a misguided, ill- tempered, failed wizard apprentice.
During this apprentice’s training, when it was determined he was not of substance and purity, he was banished from wizarding practices. The counsel captured his powers and held them from his use. However, before his access to any skills he learned was denied him, he was able to cast one impure spell.
A dragon, who rejected the apprentice, was cursed, mixing the dragon’s essence with creatures the apprentice deemed incapable of co-existing. The intent was to destroy the dragon in a painful hands-off way. The doomed apprentice believed he’d be saved from the curse himself by not directly condemning the dragon.
Instead of directly destroying the dragon by creating a beast out of an incapable mix of creatures, the end result would be an unfortunate end from such a mix. However, rather than dying, the creature lived and hid deep within a cave, suffering the change, confusion, and incapability of existence in this new form.
As well, in this same cave, was a seriously near death injured lad. The now she- beast, believing her end to be near, fed to the lad her milk to help nourish and heal the lad. As life left the beast, health and life began the restorative process for the lad. A very powerful wizard out looking for the lad found the two ailing within the cave. Both were suffering, yet neither was able to thrive.
The wizard wondered what happened that brought the two to this cave. Had the injured beast attacked the lad?
Gathering all his strength, not knowing if the strain would bring his last breath, the lad told the wizard the beast was kind and warmed him when cold and fed him when starving, even at the expense of her own life. The wizard saw the truth in this declaration by noticing the lad’s eye color changing from blue to a brilliant green. A true sign of having drunk dragon milk is green eyes.
The wizard assessed the two suffering beings and worked quickly to restore enough energy to the lad that he would survive. Upon closer look, the wizard saw compassion in the eyes of the beast but sadly, he could not undo the apprentice’s cursing spell, but rather granted the beast the gift of another spell. The spell gave the beast choice, to either leave this life in peace or to learn to live with this mix of creatures in health and an offering to help her find harmony.
Though sad and confused, the she-beast was not ready to die. Therefore, the beast chose the latter. However, the beast felt awkward and without an understood purpose in this odd new mix of form and skill. The wizard then offered to guide the beast to a new purpose. As a result, the beast became the griffin who, wanting to hide away, was given the responsibility of guiding the king’s riches, especially the stores of gold.
The wizard gave the griffin beast one more gift, a mate so as not to be banished to a life of loneliness without hope. From a mix of blood and a mix of potion and spells, the wizard found the dragon’s mate who agreed to be changed again to be with his mate.
And as a kingdom’s riches grew, so would the population of griffins. And so, this is the story as told to me.
There did become one deadly outcome from the creation of the griffin. Since it was a man that cursed and created the beast, the beast held a contempt for people. In revenge, on occasion, griffins, with their sheer strength will tear a man to pieces and carry him off to their nest to feed the young. In respect for the wizard who helped them, the griffins vowed to hold their disgust close. Though when young hatchlings struggle for life, the griffins, remembering their painful fate, are known to act out.
In need for purpose and out of appreciation and respect for the wizard who saved the suffering beast, griffins agreed to guard the treasures and riches and use their
powerful claws to dig for new veins of gold. Then with the greatest care, they agreed to watch over the green gold that remained deep within the earth until it was ready to become a part of the king’s treasure.
There are many interesting pieces of information about griffins. For example, in Welsh and Irish tradition, griffin means lord or prince, an honor given them to acknowledge their value in watching over the kingdom’s riches. To griffins, riches have a different value system than most people do. When given the task of watching over riches, they will guard whatever they are asked to guard, as a nod of appreciation to the wizard who helped the griffin. This might explain why to them there is no difference between objects and live beings. Some families have assigned the job of guarding to include family.
They tend to be solitary beings, which resulted from their start. It has been said they have carried the shame and confusion over their unusual and confusing form and could no longer see any part of their dragon origin, though they are social enough to want others around. Thus, they choose to cohabitate or live in groups determined by the amount of space their home area includes. So, to them, solitary does not mean alone; rather, griffins prefer to live and guard in as large group is reasonable. Groups called prides, in honor of their connection to the kings or packs because they are no longer connected with the original dragon ways that they had lived, so now they refused to call their group a weyr.
The larger groups are packs because the wizard who helped the original griffin adjust to her new life noticed how they adapted easily to the cooperative pack order structure.
Other facts show griffin loyalty, weaknesses, friendships, and symbolism. When asked by the wizard to take on the task of guarding, they did, initially guarding the wizard’s homestead while the wizard traveled the world. As the griffin population grew, more and more wizards enjoyed the protection of griffins. When the king noticed how well protected all wizards’ homes were becoming, he demanded the wizards not use their spell of protection exclusively for their own benefit. Thus, the legend shifted from griffin as protectors to their trusted friends to the notoriety of guarding the king’s riches.
With horses often used by people to steal the riches and gold, there started an eternal hostility between griffins and horses. Griffins then became depicted as fierce cruel beings that used their claws to attract and kill horses by ripping them apart, which was true. They did so as protectors, but also enjoyed the meat as food.
While they do have enemies, they are also extremely loyal; this was a direct result of the wizard helping them as well as giving them the destiny to choose their purpose. When griffins form a friendship, that friendship is lifelong and passed along to the offspring of those they befriend. In addition to protection, their friendships bring great joy. They also are known to carry knowledge, wisdom, power, bravery, and divinity.
Even though they are fiercely loyal with a strong protective instinct, more often they are better known for having an aggressive nature and being cruel monsters.
For those who best understand the griffin and their depiction and representation, in fact they are the duality of good and evil.
With the wings of an eagle, they are champion flyers.
With their superior strength, though extremely rare and uncomfortable, they will carry a loyal friend in flight on their back for long periods of time and distance.
Even though they are powerful, they are not immortal. Their downfalls include weapons, fire, and heat spells that can easily ground the beasts. Though when in protection mode, they are known to be able to camouflage, be hyper climbers, have enhanced flexibility, impressive leaping, a fierce roar, admirable speed, magnificent stealth, and acuity of senses, they are quite magnificent and complicated, complex beings. Their dichotomies are a result of their mixed mis-intended origin.
Even though loyal and fierce, their uncomfortable origin has caused them to be shy and to prefer the same kind of company with only occasional visits from trusted loyal friends. Griffins are complex with very valuable skills and talents. Even with the desire to live in self-protected ways, these beasts know it was a wizard who did not do only what was comfortable, he reached out to help two others; the griffin was not the only one helped that day. In addition to the wizard and other good wizards, the she- griffin remained loyal to the injured man she nourished with her milk. This did create an internal conflict for griffins. A loyalty to the one she helped and a hatred for his common kind, who fiercely hurt her, threatening her life. Through the hatred, when eggs are laid, griffins act from an old need to avenge their pain by killing a man and yet, not wanting to ever hurt the kind in near death she tended. It is because of their loyal loving feeling toward the man that she and future griffins decided to occasionally help humans and bestow them with gifts when they dreamed a human worthy of their loyalty and gifts.
Therefore, if one of the shy beasts comes to you, it is a gift of loyal lasting friendship they offer, along with fierce protection, and also power, wealth, courage, and prestige are there for you. Though it is rare for them, if you welcome them, not only do they share their gifts and skills with you, but as well with your family and your off-spring as long as they are accepted and welcomed.