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Basilisk or Cockatrice? The Mysterious King of Serpents

Season 3 Episode 7 | 10m 31s

A venomous snake who can kill with its gaze alone, the basilisk has terrified us for thousands of years. But it also has another name—the cockatrice. That’s right, the reptile-chicken hybrid creature and the poisonous snake are actually the same monster. Find out how a real snake likely inspired tales of a mythological serpent in the 1st century CE that over time turned into a mythological beast.

Aired: 05/18/21
Extras
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This is the chilling true story of the Beast of Gévaudan.
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Was the 1952 Flatwoods Monster sighting an alien, a Cold War experiment, or mass hysteria?
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Are the common sightings of The Hat Man a neurological glitch or something more?
The Fresno Nightcrawler is a pretty adorable little creeper.
Let’s talk about the eerie and unsettling legend of changelings.
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How did Van Helsing go from academic in Dracula to action hero icon?
This is the chilling true story of the Beast of Gévaudan.
Lore of the ghostly whale skeleton, Bake-kujira, reveals an ominous twist of the marine giants.
Was the 1952 Flatwoods Monster sighting an alien, a Cold War experiment, or mass hysteria?
Why do vampires shift from terrifying to seductive and back again throughout the years?
Are the common sightings of The Hat Man a neurological glitch or something more?
The Fresno Nightcrawler is a pretty adorable little creeper.
Let’s talk about the eerie and unsettling legend of changelings.
Rooted in Greek culture, the Christmas monster Kallikantzaros is a goblin-like creature.
You think you know Gremlins—but their story is far deeper than just the 1984 movie.