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The Gulon [16th century Nordic folktales]

In the 16th century, Olaus Magnus wrote a large book on the Nordic countries, detailing its people and customs as well as the strange animals that dwelt there. Though his work became very influential and was widely copied, it contained descriptions of strange animals that were likely the product of people’s imagination.

Among them is the gulon, a strange mammal with a face that resembles both a cat and a dog. These animals supposedly dwell in deep layers of snow during the winter, and they are prized among hunters for their valuable fur. They eat carrion, and it isn’t mentioned whether they attack living animals as well. But what really makes them stand out is their peculiar and disgusting method of feeding:

The gulon is an insatiable glutton. It eats and keeps eating until it physically can’t shove another bite into its overfilled stomach, which is swollen and stretched like a drum at this point. Still gluttonous for more, the gulon then sets out to find a pair of trees that stand close to each other, so that the animal would only barely fit between them. It will then attempt to force its body between the two trees, pushing the contents of its bloated stomach backwards until it forcefully leaves its body. This process is helpfully illustrated by Matthäus Merian the Elder. When this is done, its stomach is empty again and the creature resumes feeding.

When attempting to kill these animals (for the fur), hunters would wait until the gulon is squishing itself between two trees as it can easily be killed with an arrow during this process. Another method is to strangle the creature with wire while it is feeding on a carcass. One should never attempt to catch a gulon with hunting dogs, as these creatures have razor-sharp claws and fangs that scare off even the most experienced hounds.

In reality, these mythical creatures most likely originated from sightings and old wives’ tales about wolverines.

Source: Magnus, O., 1555, Historia de Gentibus Septentrionalibus, Rome, page 607. (image source: 1300 Real and Fanciful Animals from Seventeenth-Century Engravings, by Matthäus Merius the Elder)

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Strange roadside buildings where you shouldn’t ever go.

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Shamisen healer #shamisen#japan#frog

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𝕾𝖆𝖎𝖑𝖔𝖗 𝕸𝖔𝖔𝖓

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Dead Reckoning & the Naval Institute are offering 50% off list price and free shipping on all in-stock books through December 31, 2022, and available on usni.org! 🎅 ⛄️Follow the link https://rb.gy/mnq3mf

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Swamp Thing

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I'll be at Heroes Con on June 15th-17th. Come see me and pick up a copy of this sweet Thanos vs. Deadpool print! The print was drawn by yours truly and colored by my colorist @crb1129 #heroescon #draw #sketch #thanos #deadpool #print #comics #comicart

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#artvsartist you can really tell I love #inking and #sketching

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#deadpool Vs. #thanos print coming soon! It's a homage cover from #silversurfer issue 56. #comics #marvel #draw #sketch

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Sorry guys didn't realize it's been so long since I've posted some artwork. Here is a peek of the #deadpool Vs #thanos print I'm working on for #heroescon #comics #marvel #draw

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Moon Knight commission for @newbie_comicbooks at @raleighsupercon #moonknight #marvel #comics

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"Conan! What is best in life?" #conanthebarbarian #conan #barbarian #comic #movie #robertehoward #book

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Go, Go Power Rangers! #greenranger #powerrangers #greenrangeristhebest #comics

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Sneak peek of the inks for my new mini comic. This double-page spread is getting intense, like Alex Toth said "Strip it all down to essentials and draw the hell out of what's left." #inking #makingcomics #comics #drawing

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Favorite thing I've inked tonight. #inking #makingcomics #comics #draw #sketch #inklife #comicart #comicbooklife #ww1 #worldwar1

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Sketching my inner Kirby. #thething #fantasticfour #marvel #draw #doodle #sketch #comics #kirby #kingkirby #artistsoninstagram #artist #justdraw