Recommended podcast episode: Medieval eels, plus maps and history, but mostly eels. 

The Tatooine Cycle.
There was once a great queen of Alt Da Rann and Leia was her name. War had sprung up between her people and those of Da Thféider. She sent messengers to ask for aid from the wildman, Cenn Obi. He lived in the wilderness far to the west. These were the messengers she sent: Síd Tríphe Óg, who knew all the languages of man and beast,(2) and the dwarf, Artú.
(ht)

Possibly the best opening line for a blog post ever:

We’ve spoken before about how awesome medieval bestiary lore is, but I fear I’ve given the impression that it’s all self-castrating beavers and Christ signification. It is both of those things, of course, but there’s so much more!

After which we learn the ways of love as derived from Medieval zoology. Hat tip to Sarah Hoyt, guestblogging at Instapundit.

Peevish marginalia from monastic manuscripts

A disturbing trend for coursing:


I have no doubt that the Querencia pack will be at the forefront of the noble counterinsurgency.

From Got Medieval, which documents plenty more of this perfidy.