Today’s creature is a fun one. The basilisk is the so-called “king of serpents.” The basilisk isn’t just dangerous because of fangs or venom—it can also kill with a single glance. That’s right: one look, and you’re done. No second chances, no heroic sword fighting. Just instant petrification or death.

The legend of the basilisk goes way back, with roots in European folklore. Different stories describe it in different ways—sometimes as a huge snake, sometimes as part reptile and part rooster, and occasionally as a lizard with a crown-like crest. But whatever the version, the key detail is always the same: it’s lethal. Its breath is said to wither plants; its very presence poisons the ground, and of course, that deadly stare turned living creatures into stone or leaves them lifeless on the spot.

But… as terrifying as the basilisk is, it also has a surprisingly silly weakness. In many old tales, the crowing of a rooster can kill it instantly. Imagine being the most feared serpent in legend, only to be taken out by a chicken. It’s both tragic and a little bit hilarious, in my opinion. Later versions of the myth also claim that weasels, of all creatures, could fight and defeat a basilisk. Clearly, even the scariest of monsters have some humbling Achilles heels.

The basilisk has made its way into modern fantasy, most famously in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. That giant snake slithering through the pipes is a perfect example of how the creature is reimagined in contemporary stories—still deadly, still mysterious, and still enough to give you chills.

What I love about the basilisk is how it straddles the line between absolute terror and odd folklore whimsy. On one hand, it embodies the ancient fear of snakes—creatures that humans have always regarded with caution and downright terror. On the other hand, the detail about roosters and weasels gives the myth an ironic twist, as if storytellers couldn’t resist softening the horror with a touch of humour.

So, don’t forget the basilisk and maybe glance twice at that snake in the garden. After all, you never know where the serpent king has made its home.

Reference and further reading/watching: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J9wKP5bEujA; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cmZrQUNkopI

Books You Might Like

A coming-of-age fantasy steeped in magic, political intrigue and romance (Chronicles of the Divided Isle, Book One) 

Solar Carpenter is the first girl to study magic in a hundred years. And maybe the last.

For over a century, only high-born men have wielded magic in Ashwood. The nobility’s youngest sons are taught by the kingdom’s wizards in roving magic encampments. Witchcraft is forbidden, and the women who practise it persecuted.

Yet change is coming.

Solar Carpenter, a girl providing for her family any way she can, is plucked from her life of menial work and petty theft to study at an elite encampment. Under the guidance of one of Ashwood’s greatest wizards, she will learn in the field as a witch-in-training, using her powers to protect the kingdom.

Or die trying.

But what if something other than destiny lies behind her rise to magical prominence? Is Solar merely a pawn in an intricate game of thrones and power? Or the greatest force for change in a hundred years?

The answer lies in the Chronicles of the Divided Isle, an epic saga of high politics, deception and romance.

For lovers of all things fantasy… FREE BOOKS

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Some self-promo!

The Hyllethan Gifts Trilogy: (Dawn of Purple and Grey, Days of Wind and Snow, Night of Rites and Wraiths)

When sixteen-year-old Shael helps a mortally wounded messenger, he entrusts her with delivering to the queen three magical statuettes stolen from the Hyllethans, her country’s feared enemies. But Shael accidentally cuts her fingers while handling the statuettes and magic links her to them—any breakage or pressure on the clay is felt on her flesh. Shael’s fate is now inexorably tied to the Hyllethans, the statuettes, and the political turmoil in the land.

Fire Dance

In the sacred temple of Basica, Maia is about to achieve everything she has worked for: becoming a Sentinel, one of the Goddess’s elite protectors. But she harbours a dangerous secret—fire bends to her will, a power that would see her condemned as demon-born if discovered. Worse still, the flames carry echoes of memories that are not her own, whispering of a past she cannot remember and a destiny she never chose.

When an Imperial envoy arrives for the Summer Solstice ceremony, he claims to know who she is and what she is capable of, threatening to unravel everything Maia has built. His knowledge could shatter her future—or unlock a destiny greater than she ever imagined.

Torn between the lure of safety and power within the temple and the dangerous truths hidden in her past, Maia must decide: will she cling to the life she has fought for, or risk everything to uncover the truth? And when the boy who has always stood by her offers a different kind of future, will she follow duty—or her heart?

Perfect for fans of An Ember in the Ashes and From Blood and Ash, Fire Dance is a tale of ambition, tainted love, and the fire that burns within.

Fire Storm

Haunted by memories that are not her own, Maia and her love, Ryse, are desperate to leave the world that has shaped her and return to Phaen. Only their presence there can stop their homelands from plunging into a devastating war. But duty comes at an unbearable cost: losing a brother who refuses to flee, a child who carries the past in his veins, and an enemy who wields a stolen weapon that could change the fate of civilizations.

But when she risks their cover to save a galley under attack, an Imperial princess and a ruthless general entangle Maia in a dangerous game of power and betrayal. In a world of shifting allegiances, hidden truths, and long-buried treachery, the race to escape turns into a battle of wits, deception, and impossible choices.

With time running out, Maia must choose: surrender to the lure of power which this world offers and risk losing those she loves, or reclaim the future that was stolen from her.

Perfect for fans of An Ember in the Ashes and From Blood and Ash, Fire Storm is a tale of fate, forbidden power, and the fire that binds past and future.

Colours of Fantasy (FREE DOWNLOAD)

Not enough time to read, but love fantasy?

Colours of Fantasy is an anthology of short stories that range from magical realism to sci-fi fantasy. They are short enough to be easily read while commuting or during a lunch break. Read about paintings that are truer than true-to-life, or the heart-wrenching decision Poseidon’s human son-in-law has to take, or perhaps you’ll prefer a glimpse of life after an apocalypse, or a story about a space pirate with an uncomfortable past. 

And if you like longer reads, Colours of Fantasy gives you a taste of Book One of two series: The Hyllethan Gifts Trilogy and Fire Dance Chronicles.

Till next time! Wishing you a great two weeks with a good book!

Caroline