Alexis is an Ocean Detective Agent. One day, Jake, a fisherman, visited her with a fine tuna with several circular shallow holes. Alexis starts her investigation to find out what has happened to the tuna. She asks her friend Hector the dolphin. Surprisingly, Hector says that he has the same experience that something has made a nasty bite and left a hole on his body just like the one on the tuna. It seems the mysterious creature is hiding somewhere close in the sea. What kind of creature is responsible for those nasty bites? Alexis goes to the ocean to find out. What will she encounter and can she solve this mystery?

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Approximately 3000 species of snakes are known now around the world. Out of all snakes, about 400 species are venomous. Anaconda and reticulated python are the world’s longest snakes. Both species could grow to about 30ft (9m). World’s smallest is the Barbados threadsnake, about 4inches (10cm) in length.

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The Year of Snake, 2013

According to Chinese ancient calendar 2013 is the Year of the Snake (巳年). The Chinese character 巳 depicts a fetus in its mother and also means a snake. Snakeswake up from their hibernation and emerge from underground in spring. Therefore the Year of the Snake related to the beginning.

Since snakes hunt mice that eat crops, snakes are guardians worshipped by farmers around the world. Also people believe that snakes are symbol of immortal and resurrection or the messengers of deity because they shed their skin and can live without food for long period of time. In Japan snakes are linked to Benzaiten who is one of the 7 lucky gods of fortune and the Deity of wealth, productivity and treasure. Especially a white snake is regarded as the symbol of fortune.

In Europe and the United State snakes are often depicted as the symbol of remedy and medicine because snakes have powerful vital force. The rod of Asclepius is the one of the most popular image of snakes as the medical symbol. Asclepius is the God of healing and medicine in the Greek mythology. Some said that the snake coiling round the rod is the European Ratsnake that brought from Southern to Northern Europe by Romans who believed that this snake was the deity of cure. In many culture and societies around the world there are the folk medicine in which the venom of snakes is used for medicine. People also eat the meat and drink the blood as stamina food.

The calabash is often associated with snake because it has winding vine and lots of seed.

A large quantity of seeds also related to the symbol of productivity and prosperity. Three calabashes indicate good fortune. Since winding river remind of a snake, snake are often regarded as the God of Water too.

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Guardian of North   - Black Tortoise -

In ancient Chinese Zodiacal constellation the four cardinal directions are protected by imaginary animals. Blue dragon is the guardian of East, White tiger is for West, Vermilion bird is for South and Black tortoise is for North.

Usually the aspect of Black tortoise is a snake entwined with tortoise. Black symbolizes Nrth and winter. The carapace of tortoise stands for the excellence of defense. Black tortoise also associates with water, kidney, mountain and salty food.

The legend of Black tortoise prevailed among the countries of Asia such as Korea, Vietnam and Japan.

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Fenghuang the Lucky Bird

Fenghuang is the legendary bird of China. According to Chinese ancient book “Record of Rites” Fenghuang is the king of all birds and appears only when the good lord reigns over the country. The feather has five different colors, black, white, red, blue, and yellow. Each Fenghuang’s body part has meaning, the head is virtue, the wing is justice, the back is respect, and the belly is trust.

Fenghuang is about 60 inch (150cm) tall and roosts only on the Chinese parasol tree. The habitat is Kunlun Mountains. Fenghuang’s foods are seed of bamboo and honey.

The legend of Fenghuang prevailed over East Asia, such as Japan and Korea. Since Fenghuang brings luck, some Buddhist temples in Japan have the roofs decorated with the sculpture of Fenghuang. Japanese 10,000 bill has also the images of Fenghuang.

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Run through the Sea   - Hippocampus -

The Hippocampus is the half-fish and half-horse creature which appeared in Greek and Etruscan mythology. Sometimes Hippocampus is described as having two wings. Poseidon is the Greek sea god who rides on the hippocampus. The chariot of Poseidon is also drawn by Hippocampi. Today hippocampus also means the scientific name of sea horses, marine fish and part of brain.

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Nightmare Eater   - Baku -

Baku is the imaginative creature which appeared in ancient Chinese tale. Later Baku was introduced to Japan. According to the legend Baku is the tapir－ like animal with an elephant nose and tusk, eyes of rhinoceros, legs of tiger and a tail of cow. Baku lives in bamboo forest and eats bamboo, iron and copper. In Japan Baku is the good fortune animal which devours nightmares and brings dreams of good luck.

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Qilin loves all living being.

Qilin had appeared in the last part of Chinese chronicle “the Spring and Autumn Annals” which described the period from 722 B.C. to 481B.C. This legendary animal is a good prophecy in which kindhearted monarch will be born.

Qilin is a very gentle creature which hates killing other living thing and lives as long as 1000years. The head resembles a dragon with one horn or two sometimes and the body with scales is like a very large deer, about 16ft (5m) long. The color of the scale is gold and the mane is often like flame.

In Japan the word “Kirin” has two meanings, one is Qilin and another is giraffe.

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Noble beast  - The Griffin -

The Griffin is the legendary creature like the Dragon. Usually the Griffin is depicted as the mystic animal with the head and wings of an eagle, the body and ears of a lion. Some say the head sparkles like gold and the white furs cover the body. The oldest griffin had appeared in the Ancient Egyptian Art, approximately 3300a.c. Since then it had been portrayed as the variety of styles in the ancient art such as Greek Art in 1500a.c. and the Roman Art around 14a.d. In the mythology the Griffin is the colossal creature which lives in the Ural Mountains or the Altai Mountains and protects the gold treasure.

The ibex, wild mountain goat, also lives in high mountains.

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Year of the Dragon

Dragon is the fifth year and only mythical creature in the Chinese zodiac. In legend Dragon has the horns of a deer, the head of a camel, the ears of a cow and a rabbit’s eyes. The body of Dragon is from a snake and has scales of a carp’s. The leg comes from a hawk or tiger.

In China Dragon is the symbol of mighty power or the Emperor. In Japan Dragon is associated with water, so people pray Dragon when drought continues for a long time. In India Dragon is called “Naga” which is one of the deities in Hinduism and is also one of the 8 guardians of Buddhism. Naga is believed in Cambodia, Thailand and Vietnam as well.