Ulysses Aldrovandi

The Monstrous Carp

Among the rarer monsters, one must include this monstrous carp, which we present to the reader here in this small illustration. It emerged from a certain pond in Bohemia near the castle of Rosenberg on October 11, 1512.

As you can see, it possessed a perfectly human face, with eyes, nostrils, and a mouth (though it lacked teeth), and jaws where a shaggy, reddish beard was visible. This beard was situated quite close to the edges of its maw—in fact, it surrounded the mouth entirely. The rest of the body was covered in scales like a common carp, with the sole exception of the tail, which was forked near its base and curled on both sides. This monster was often observed swimming on the surface of the water, much to the wonder of many; however, those who actually captured it were quite terrified. Lycosthenes accepts this account and includes it alongside the illustration seen here.

Therefore, since these monsters are known to form across various genera of animals and even within the human womb, it is hardly surprising that such a creature is occasionally found among the various species of fish.