Also known as the barking beast is a bizarre creature with the body of a leopard, back legs and tail of a lion, feet of a stag and head of a snake. It’s name comes from its cry, which sounds like thirty or forty small dogs barking.
The beast is more famously associated with the legends of King Arthur in which Merlin reveals the questing beasts origin. The beast was born of a human woman who lusted after her own brother. The woman slept with a devil who promised to make her brother lust after her, but she was manipulated into accusing her brother of rape. Their father had his son torn apart by dogs as a punishment. Before he died, the brother prophesized his sister would give birth to a monster who’s howl echoed that of the dogs ripping him apart.
The Questing Beast is a symbol of incest, chaos and violence.
Mythological Creatures 