Book of Barely Imagined Beings · 1:23pm Jul 9th, 2015
I just started reading a book called The Book of Barely Imagined Beings, which is about animals that are little more obscure in the world of natural history. This mostly involves things like barrel sponges and sea worms and things like that, but the first animal discussed in the book is the axolotl or Mexican Salamander. This passage in particular was quite interesting:
There are two explanations for its name. One connects it to Xolotl, the Aztec god of fire, guide of the dead and sometimes bringer of bad luck. In a story associated with the legend of the five suns, Xolotl (who has backwards feet and the head of a dog) transforms into an axolotl.
I've heard of Xolotl being a fire and death god, but bringer of bad luck is one I hadn't heard before, and if so it makes Wanderlust make even more sense, albiet unintentionally! Chaos and bad things happening would unfortunately be bedfellows whether or not they wanted to.
BTW, a new chapter of Taxonomy should be out later this evening, if all goes to plan.
