Esmeralda and her Parandrus


The story of the parandrus whom Pliny /VIII.34.52/ calls “tarandrus” is derived from Solinus /30.25/. In the bestiaries and the writings by Pseudo-Hugh /Ш.9/ and Brunetto Latini /I.V.197/ the parandrus is an animal living in Ethiopia which has the tracks of an ibex, the branching horns of a stag, the colour of a bear, and, like a bear, it has a shaggy coat. It is believed to change colour into a likeness of whatever it is close to. Not caring much for reproducing the colour of the animal described in the text, the painter depicts the bright-green silhouette of the animal with beautiful branching horns against the red and golden background.
http://cultureru.com/2011/09/parandrus-yale/

They were ox-sized, long-haired, with antlers and cloven hooves, but could change their shape at will. \wiki\