Phoenix

Phoenix
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Monsters of the Mind
Previous	Tokoloshe
Next	Mokele-Mbembe
Card	52
Creature Features
Name	Derived from the Greek word for palm tree, which is where it was said to nest
Where?	Lived in the Arabian Desert
Legendary Origin	First described in detail in the writings of the Greek historian Herodotus (484-425 B.C.)
Did You Know?
In the Harry Potter books, Professor Dumbledore, headmaster of the Hogwart's school, has a pet phoenix named Fawkes. In The Chamber of Secrets Fawkes' tears heal Harry's wounds and save his life.

The brilliantly colored Phoenix was said to possess eternal life. Legend has it that each time the bird died, it would rise again from its own ashes. The Phoenix had the most beautiful song of any animal on Earth and could fly farther and faster than any bird. Many cultures revered the Phoenix for its beauty and for its immortality.

Brilliant Bird: Greek writer Herodotus described the Phoenix as having the body of a large eagle with feathers of red, gold and purple.

Dew Drops: Though it looked fierce, the Phoenix was so gentle that it wouldn't kill or crush a living thing, including fruits and flowers. It ate only spices and drank dew.

Rising from the Ashes

In medieval times, the Phoenix story was kept alive in bestiaries, books about fantastic creatures.

The Phoenix was an extraordinary bird that was said to live for 500 years. There was only one Phoenix alive at any given time. When the beautiful bird reached the end of its long life, it built a nest made of spices, which burst into flames as the bird sat upon it. After the old Phoenix was consumed in the flames, a new bird was born from the ashes. For some cultures, the Phoenix's rebirth became a symbol of the resurrection of the dead.

Having a Ball: Early accounts of the Phoenix myth say that when a bird died, a new one was born from its body. The new Phoenix placed the other in a ball of myrrh (a sweet smelling sticky substance) and flew it to the temple of the sun in Egypt. The ball of myrrh was then either buried or laid on the altar.

Heavenly Creature: The Chinese have a mythical bird similar to the Phoenix called Feng Huang. Its head represents the sun, its wings are the wind, its tail feathers are flowers and trees and its feet are the Earth.

Throughout the centuries, many cultures have shown the Phoenix on their currency. This coin dates from 18th century Sicily.

Trading Card

Phoenix Fire Power This creature leaves for a thousand years, jumps into a nest of flames, then is re-born from its own ashes. Say What? Some stories say the phoenix ate only dewdrops. Powers Play this card as either a normal monster or use its elemental power to burn your opponent and skip his or her next attack turn. If elemental power is used, this card cannot attack or defend and must be discarded when your turm is over. Stats Life 120 Attack 6 Defense 6

Phoenix Unleashed! The phoenix is as big as an eagle, with brilliant feathers of red and gold. Legends say its song hypnotizes all creatures that hear it. When dying, the phoenix burns itself, then is reborn from its own ashes. Say What? Some say only one phoenix can exist at a time. Stats Life 200 Attack 10 Defense 12

Trivia

• The Phoenix has a pair of trading cards: Fire Power and Unleashed!.
• In the Did You Know? section, the card mistakenly spells "Hogwarts" with an apostrophe.
• The phoenix's trading card is featured in Battle of the Monsters Variations 75 on Monster Mania 75.