The Mysterious Takin of Bhutan

This gorgeous creature is the takin, otherwise known as the national animal of Bhutan.

I want to share the legend of how this strange creature, of which no one is certain of the taxonomy of, came to be.

It is said that The Divine Madman, a wise, down to earth, crude and crazy saint whose real name is Lam Drukpa Kunley created this animal.

One day The Divine Madman was asked to perform a miracle by the local villagers.

He in turn asked for a feast, and he told them to bring him a cow and a goat to eat.

The villagers, perhaps a bit confused, prepared the cow and the goat and presented it to the Divine Madman, and he immediately devoured both of them quickly.

He left nothing more than the cleaned bones.

The Divine Madman then took the head of the goat and attached it to the skeleton of the cow -

And as the village waited in breathless anticipation, he clapped his hands and surprised everybody as the the skeleton grew a full body and then jumped up and ran into the meadow to begin feeding.

And thus, it is said, the mysterious creature known as the Takin was born into the Himalayas.

Bhutan, an amazingly beautiful and mysterious place filled with lots of stories to explore!