Bestiary

omnis mundi creatura quasi liber et pictura nobis est et speculum each creature of this world is a picture and a word and a true mirror to us Alanus ab Insulis (1128-1202) God’s zoo • A zoo in my luggage the bird • Space for flying • God-bird 1 • God-bird 2 • God-bird 3 • Chinese magpies • More Chinese magpies • Persian thrust in Budapest • Armenian bird in Venice • Canari bird in London • Owl above the olive trees • Waiting for you, comrade bird • The birds of the air the nightingale • Sephardic nightingales • Singing for the second time • Singing for the third time • The prisoner’s romance • The zorzal • Morning bird the rooster • The rooster is crowing • Crowing for the second time the crow • Grow a crow the dove • Urban dove in Prague the butterfly • Heavenly and earthly love the tiger • Tiger’s Year in Budapest • Paper tiger • Tigers in Berlin the twelve animals • The great circle of time • Circular time

the dog • Dogs of God • The Trastevere’s dog • Lupus in tabula • Dogtours • Dogs of Sant Antoni • Dog-headed Saint Christopher • Sailor dogs • Semiramis’ dogs • Estonian military dogs • Dog on board • Frat dogs of Istanbul • Double-tailed dogs in Palma • Basket the bear • Bear cub • Bear hunting • Hunter’s equipment • The bear fires back • Bear ceremony in Moscow • Wandering bear • The Bear King • Little and Great Bear • Wine to the Two Bears • The two envious bear cubs • The Hungarian and his bear • Bears are very good Turks • Bear cave • Fox Tale the lion • The educated lion • Lioness in Odesa • The lion’s tail • Double-tailed lion and the lamb • Agnus Dei goats of the world! • Gorgan • Chongqing • Mallorca, West • Mallorca, North • Mallorca, South • Istanbul • The Holy Land • The Goat Island the donkey • Bookmobile the monkey • Monkey’s love • Kill King Kong! • Bruegel’s two monkeys the fox • Fox Tale • The fox and the cheese • The fox and the mouse

the cat • Muska • Yoshka • Hero cats of Leningrad • The Muromtsev Dacha • Cat funerals • Chinese cats • Cats in Mallorca • Cat in Cantabria • Argentine cats • The Cat Bride • Man with a Cat • The wind-swept spirit • The planet of cats the rabbit • Rabbit in the moon • Year of the rabbit the elephant • Czech elephant • Chinese elephant • Argentine elephant • Portuguese elephant • Nazi elephant the rhinoceros • 0. Rhinocerology • 1. The Pope’s rhinoceros • 2. Rhino on the reverse • 3. The first litter • 4. The truth suppressed • 5. A distant relative • Bookmobile the dragon/snake/crocodile • Dragon invasion • Dragons in Tallinn • Hidden dragons • Terra Sancta • Dragon anatomy • Snake on political posters • Maiden-headed snakes • Shaun Tan’s dragon in Venice • Blogger the fish • Little and big fishes • The big fish • Bruegel’s big fish the whale • Leviathan, or, The whale • St. Raphael the Whale-Slayer the monster • Pantagruel’s monsters • The monster of Anatolia the ant • Ant marries the cricket/grasshopper • Like the cicada • Winter grasshoppers the bug • Apotheosis of the bookworm