A manticore has a lion's body, a scorpion's tail, and a man's head with three rows of teeth.
It prowls about in forests and eats people who can't answer its riddles.
Luckily manticores are so rare that no one I know has ever encountered one, and according to official figures more people get injured pulling on their socks than in manticore-related incidents.
Well, that's a relief.
All these old monsters only know really cheesy riddles anyway. As long as you know why the chicken crossed the road* and what's brown and sticky** you should be all right.
Word To Use Today: manticore. This word comes from the Greek word martichorās from the Persian marakhora man-eater.
*To get to the other side.
**A stick.
Well, I knew the chicken punchline but the stick is a wonderful discovery and I will try it out on everyone I meet! As for Manticore, well, there's fearsome. But what a wonderful word. Reminds me of MANDERLEY. "Last night I dreamed I went to Manticore again." It has a splendid ring to it. And it would make a good pseudonym for a compiler of crosswords, wouldn't it?
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