I am the Gryphon

With Lion’s body, courageous and strong

I am the Gryphon

With Eagle’s wings, head and song

I am the Gryphon

Who stands o’er this door

I am the Gryphon

Protecting you all.

In those days the world was young and all the animals lived together in peace and harmony.  Now, the Gryphon, who had the body and claws of a lion with the wings and head of an eagle, also lived among the other animals and beasts.

But he was a boisterous fellow – loud and unruly.

He was strong and fast for he could run like a lion and with his sharp claws he was fearsome indeed.  He could fly and see like an eagle and with his sharp beak he was more fearsome still.  But he was quick to anger and his rage was terrible to behold.  Throughout the land his temper was known and his fierce voice could be heard, loud in the night.

Many of the animals were sorely afraid of him and he was pleased that he scared them so.

Now, one day, while he was roaring and screeching, Old Bear came out from his cave to see what all the noise was about.  For some of the animals had complained to him that the Gryphon was scaring them with his loud voice and sharp claws.

‘Gryphon,’ he rumbled in his deep voice, ’why are you scaring all the small animals?’

The Gryphon, seeing Old Bear, stopped roaring but he was angry that Old Bear should stop him and question him in front of the other animals.

‘Bear, you are old and I am young.  I have the strength of youth, so leave me alone!’

Old Bear was angry with the Gryphon but could not chase him because the Gryphon was faster and, besides, he could fly away whenever Old Bear got near.

And the Gryphon, even though he was angry, laughed at Old Bear, taunting him, flying just out of reach of his long, strong arms.

And while he was flying he saw Eagle swooping through the air, getting closer, coming toward him.

Now, Eagle was a strong bird, King of the air, and called out to the Gryphon.

‘Gryphon, why are you taunting Old Bear?  Don’t you know he is to be respected because he is old and wise?’

And the Gryphon grew more angry at Eagle and warned him to leave him alone.  But Eagle flew after the Gryphon and he could not get away for Eagle could fly exceedingly well and could see for many miles.  But, whenever Eagle caught up, the Gryphon would turn around and swipe viciously at Eagle with his sharp claws.

‘Go away Eagle – I don’t need you to tell me what I can and can’t do – I’m stronger than you!’

And so, eventually, Eagle flew away, shaking his head.

The Gryphon flew down to the jungle to visit Hyena, who was his friend, for Hyena would join the Gryphon in taunting the other animals, laughing and making fun of them while the Gryphon roared.

‘Hyena, I am annoyed.  All of the animals try to stop me having fun – all except you.  Let’s go and find someone to scare.’

And Hyena, because he was afraid of the Gryphon but enjoyed laughing at others while he had the strong Gryphon beside him, went with him into the jungle.

While they were walking, they heard a noise in front of them.  And when they looked, they saw Lion, King of the jungle, the most noble yet fearsome of beasts.

But Hyena, because he was a coward, ran away from Lion, leaving the Gryphon on his own.  And the Gryphon was scared because Lion was very powerful and could command all the animals to obey him.

And Lion said to him -

‘Gryphon!  Why can you not live in peace and harmony with all the other animals?  Have you not noticed that you have upset everyone around you?  Do you not care that all the others shun you and ignore you when you are not harassing them?  Do you not see that even your friend, cowardly Hyena, runs away from you when you are in trouble?’

At Lion’s words the Gryphon grew even more angry and he leapt into the air and flew away, shouting and cursing at the King of the jungle.

For a long time the Gryphon wandered alone.

Angry at all the animals, he blamed them for casting him out, even though it was he who had flown away from them.

Yes – he was very angry indeed.

But, as the weeks passed and his anger lessened, he grew sad for himself, sad that he was all alone – for it is very lonely in the desert at night.  Only the scorpions and spiders live in the desert and they cannot be frightened by roaring and fighting.

And the Gryphon grew scared, for he was lost and alone – and he slept at night under cold rocky cliffs, always watching, always watching, because scorpions and spiders bite and sting but they scuttle and crawl, too small to be seen.

The Gryphon lay down on the cold rock, feeling very sorry for himself, though he could not cry in case anyone saw him.  And so he went to sleep each night, shivering in the cold air, fearful of the scorpions and spiders that might creep up on him.

One day, when he awoke, he felt warm and the light hurt his eyes.  Thinking it to be morning, he stood up and found that he had been covered in a blanket of flowers and leaves from the small bushes which grew nearby.  And he noticed, too, that the sky was still dark though he was bathed in a silver light and he saw that the scorpions and spiders all stood around the edge of the light for they could not reach the Gryphon inside the safe warm glow.

Then he looked up and saw the most beautiful creature he had ever seen.

She was a Unicorn, a silver horse with mane and tail of brightest gold and in the centre of her forehead was a single horn, the source of the silver light.

She spoke with a soft, musical voice –

‘Poor Gryphon, why are you out here, cold and alone, lost in the desert, so far from home?’

And the Gryphon told her that he had run away from the other animals and now he was lost and alone, scared of the scorpions and spiders that live in the desert.

She asked him then why he had run away, but he could not remember why he was angry because he knew, deep down, that Lion was right.

She asked him if he wished to go home and he cried ‘with all of my heart but I don’t know the way’.

And then she led him up the cliffs.  

It was a long and hard climb but, at the top, he found a cave which he did not know was there.

‘Go, young Gryphon, enter the cave.  It is dark but I shall stand by the entrance and guide you.’

And so he walked into the cave, scared at first because he did not know the way, but growing more confident as each step took him closer to home and all the animals he missed so dearly.

And as he walked, the Unicorn’s light stayed with him until, at last, he saw the light from the other end.

‘Remember, young Gryphon, you have courage and strength.  You can soar like an eagle but you must learn to be wise.’

The other end of the cave led out onto a ledge, very high up but not so very far from home, and it felt good to have the spring sun on his back without the fear of scorpions or spiders.

So he opened his wings and leapt from the ledge and the light of the Unicorn glanced off his wings, sparkling in the sun.

As the Gryphon flew toward home he could see, from far away, that all the animals had gathered around Old Bear’s cave.

Rocks had fallen and blocked the path.  Old Bear was trapped and could not get down to safety and was dangerously weak after his winter’s sleep.

Lion, who had the strength to carry Old Bear, could not climb over the rocks to reach him,

And Eagle, who could fly over the fallen rocks, was not strong enough to help.

The Gryphon knew then what he must do.

And so he flew down over the rocks to Old Bear’s cave and gathered him up in his strong arms, careful not to cut Old Bear with his sharp claws.

With the Gryphon’s strength of a lion and wings of an eagle, he carried Old Bear to the safety of the other animals.

And they cheered and cheered for, not only was Old Bear safe, but the Gryphon had returned to them, safe and forgiven, wiser already and ready to start a more gentle life.

I am the Gryphon

Who stands o’er this door

I am the Gryphon

Your symbol and more.