British National Animals Blog
9 March 2023
British National Animals
As a small business in Great Britain, we have been buzzing to learn more about some of the key symbols of the three nations found on this is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, like their national animals!
Standing out as one of the most unique national animals, Scotland is represented by the Unicorn! Long featured in Celtic mythology, for its magical healing powers, the Unicorn is an untameable being that represents grace, purity, and power. The unicorn was first used by King William I as an emblem on the armour of Scottish royalty in the 12th century, before officially becoming the national animal of Scotland in the 1300s. This regal creature is so beloved by the people of Scotland that whilst exploring this stunning country you can see them incorporated into much of their architecture and every 9th of April, they celebrate National Unicorn Day!
Scotland is not the only nation to choose a creature from their mythology to represent them. Officially being featured on the Welsh flag in 1959, The connection Wales has to the Red Dragon runs deep throughout history, so it is no surprise that this fierce being was chosen as their national animal! Appearing in the tale of Ludd and Llefelys, the Celtic red dragon battles against an invading white dragon, causing frightening screams to be heard across the Island. To put an end to this, Llefelys tells Ludd to trick the two dragons and confine them underneath Eryri (Snowdonia). Merlin explains that the confrontation between these two dragons symbolizes the Celtic Briton's fight against the Anglo-Saxons, where the Red Dragon would eventually overcome the White Dragon, showing the Celtic’s victory. From here the Red Dragon came to symbolize the fearlessness of the Welsh people. This mighty creature first appeared on a royal emblem for the King of Gwynedd in 655 AD, and since then has been used by many more royals. The most notable being King Arthur who used a gold dragon on his banner and the House of Tudor who incorporated the red dragon into their heraldry.
Unlike Wales and Scotland, the national animal of England is not a mythical animal, but a Lion. Known across the world for being the ‘king of beasts, the lion is a proud, strong, brave, and noble animal. The characteristics of a lion were admired in medieval times as qualities nobility should have. Thus, when these qualities were seen in King Richard I, he was given the name ‘Richard the Lionheart’. From then on, three lions were used on the Royal coat of arms, and the courageous lion has been synonymous with English monarchs ever since. Wild lions have been extinct in England for over 13,000 years. But they can still be seen in the northern sky on a clear night as the Leo constellation, or on the sports pitch, with the three lion’s emblem being worn by English sports teams since 1872!
In Pretend to Bee’s Lion Zip-up Topchildren can parade through playtime feeling like animal royalty. With the thick mane and soft fur of this costume, kids can perfectly emulate these mighty creatures and carry themselves with pride!
Or in our pink Unicorn Zip-up Top, kids can embrace the magic of these majestic beings. The Golden Unicorn horn on the hood, makes this costume hard not to love. And with the spectacular silver foil wings attached on the back, children will be imagining prancing through the woodland air as they play!
And if children want to rule the skies, our Red Dragon costume onesieif perfect for them! Available in sizes 3-7 years, this fiery beast will provide endless fun. From the embossed scales to the golden dragon wing, the detail put into this outfit brings myths to life.
