The Secret Life of Gryphons

Recently, by very special permission of Jake’s Great-Great Aunt Ramona, the formidable Dowager Baroness Bradford, we (E & G) were granted access to the Enchanted Library at Beacon House, headquarters of the Order of the Yew Tree, all in the name of continuing our research into magical wonders for our books. 📚✨

Well! In the course of our afternoon’s study (and after a very proper tea service laid out by the ever-dignified housekeeper, Mrs. Appleton - who told us to mind the tiger 🐅 and absolutely do NOT bump into the harp 🎶), we stumbled upon a most fascinating tome: The Ancient Book of Beasts and Creatures.

📖 Inside this dusty volume, nestled among dragons, manticores, and other delights, we found an entry about the creature dearest to our hearts… the Gryphon!

(Oh, and side note: G. may have screeched when a certain enchanted insect buzzed past her nose, while E. gallantly nearly squashed the poor Ink Bug to protect her. Fear not - the little fellow survived!)

The gryphon is the ultimate power combo:

Head & wings of an eagle – king of the skies, sharp-eyed and vigilant 👀✨
Body of a lion – king of the land, proud and powerful 💪🦁

A serious combination of forces to be sure. Fierce, majestic, and - let’s be honest - more than a little full of attitude. 😎

The earliest depictions of gryphons date back over 5,000 years! 🏺 They appear in Ancient Greece and Persia, and one particularly gorgeous fresco was uncovered at the palace of King Minos of Knossos on Crete - yes, the same legendary labyrinth hangout of the Minotaur. 🐂⚔️

Over the centuries, gryphons have perched proudly in artwork from cultures all across the world. Sometimes they’ve got eagle talons up front; sometimes lion’s paws. Variations aside, their iconic image is as strong today as ever. 🌍✨

In the Middle Ages, gryphons weren’t just cool to look at - they were believed to have healing powers. ✨💫

Gryphon claws were thought to detect poison ☠️
And their feathers? Priceless ingredients for mystical potions. 🧪 Supposedly, one feather could heal the blind 👁️

We borrowed this bit of folklore for The Lost Heir! Those of you that read the book... Remember Fionnula the sea-hag? 🧙‍♀️ She used gryphon feathers to make herself beautiful. Trouble was, she was still wicked and ugly on the inside. (Lesson: no magic feather can cure a rotten heart! 😉)

Perhaps most famously, gryphons are said to be the guardians of secret treasures. They have a nose for gold and an uncanny ability to sniff it out from deep in the earth. Once they find a vein, they chip away at the rock with their powerful beaks until - voilà! - shiny riches galore. ✨💰✨

This endless supply of treasure explains why gryphons are so often associated with wealth and power… but those are dangerous forces to dabble with.

Take Jake and his gryphon, Red. In Book 3, The Dark Portal, Jake visits his family’s ancient gold mine. Red knows he’ll have to keep a close eye on his young master (a former pickpocket, after all!) so that Jake doesn’t fall under the spell of greed and turn into a miser. 🦅🦁👦

Here’s the fun part - if you’d like to “ride” a gryphon yourself, you technically can! 🎉 Head over to Busch Gardens in Williamsburg, Virginia and hop on their roller coaster, the Griffon. 🎢 (Note the spelling!)

Would E & G dare ride? Let’s just say…

E: Absolutely! Front row, hands in the air! 🙌
G: What, me?? Cue the panic attack and high-pitched shrieking with the little girls in the front row! 😂🎤

Because we can’t resist:

In heraldry, gryphons symbolized strength, courage, and guardianship. Many noble families bore them proudly on their crests. 🛡️

Some legends claimed gryphon eggs were made of emeralds. 💎

In folklore, gryphons were said to mate for life ❤️ - making them not only fierce but also faithful.

So there you have it - the proud, powerful, and sometimes sassy gryphon, one of the most enduring creatures in myth and magic. 🦅🦁✨

Stay tuned - we’ll be sharing even more fantastic beasts we’ve uncovered in the Enchanted Library very soon.

Until then…