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A genre, eh? In the illuminated manuscript world, you have your liturgical books, psalters, books of hours, Aesop's Fables and other variety of fable-collections as mentioned, bestiaries...
...hrm.
Maybe... the Queen Mary and Isabella Psalters? They were unusual psalters that contained bestiaries that had moral story links between the animals and the psalms included.
...hrm.
Maybe... the Queen Mary and Isabella Psalters? They were unusual psalters that contained bestiaries that had moral story links between the animals and the psalms included.
This is the only one left!
Bonus clue: The Silver City on the Sea
A bonus clue, thats a good omen!
Was gonna say there's apparently 2 real cities nicknamed that, which could qualify them as "sister" cities, but they're by the sea rather than on the sea.
The Aberdeen Bestiary (Aberdeen University Library, Univ Lib. MS 24) is a 12th-century English illuminated manuscript bestiary that was first listed in 1542 in the inventory of the Old Royal Library at the Palace of Westminster.[1] Due to similarities, it is often considered to be the "sister" manuscript of the Ashmole Bestiary. -Wikipedia
Aberdeen Scotland has been known as the Silver City by the sea
I was also thinking maybe Avalon or Iona, but didn't get super far before the latest clue.
"Stylistically both manuscripts are very similar but the Aberdeen has figures that are both more voluminous and less energetic than those of the Ashmole Bestiary." -Wiki (adding edits here as I read lol)
Aberdeen Scotland has been known as the Silver City by the sea
I was also thinking maybe Avalon or Iona, but didn't get super far before the latest clue.
"Stylistically both manuscripts are very similar but the Aberdeen has figures that are both more voluminous and less energetic than those of the Ashmole Bestiary." -Wiki (adding edits here as I read lol)
Oh! I came across the Aberdeen bestiary earlier while I was on the hunt.
Lemme page through it real quick.
Lemme page through it real quick.
I came across Ashmole yesterday and list the page! ToT
I don't know what this mother is, still. We must come across it! Perhaps something to do with the Physiologus, or another "Mother" article or artist that spawned them?
I don't know how they'd be devoted though
I don't know what this mother is, still. We must come across it! Perhaps something to do with the Physiologus, or another "Mother" article or artist that spawned them?
I don't know how they'd be devoted though
There's a number of classic bestiary entries that have to do with mothers. The tiger is usually one, or the ape, or the pelican.
Ooh, goodie! I shall delve more too
The fox, maybe? It looks like it's playing dead, luring away predators from its cubs.
That could be! The description I read of it says nothing of the other foxes being cubs, but seeing is believing, so it's totally possible. I copied these numbers from the summary:
fol. 46v
fol. 59r
fol. 18v
fol. 21r
fol. 30v
This one is le fox page.
fol. 23r
fol. 46v
fol. 59r
fol. 18v
fol. 21r
fol. 30v
This one is le fox page.
fol. 23r
I will give you for free that the answer format starts with "folio"
Aw hello lmao
I was watching someone enter all variants of "fol" and "folio" and "f" and etc and didn't want ya'll getting too frustrated by format
Apparently, sources may be conflicted as to which sister is more "energetic" 
Uh oh. I thought it was odd that the one that has so many more embellishments was considered the less energetic one, it seems counterintuitive.
https://bestiary.ca/manuscripts/manu100.htm (eta I don't think this manuscript web page has the same kind of image descriptions for this bestiary as it did for the other bestiary)
https://bestiary.ca/manuscripts/manu100.htm (eta I don't think this manuscript web page has the same kind of image descriptions for this bestiary as it did for the other bestiary)
Congrats on solving this symbol! The answer was "folio 8r".
For those of you wondering how this answer could be arrived at, here's a quick explanation.
For those of you wondering how this answer could be arrived at, here's a quick explanation.
Ilmarinen, author of this riddle wrote:
Although medieval bestiaries had information on animals, they also discussed the religious themes and lessons represented by these animals. There are two well-known bestiaries--Aberdeen and Ashmole--that are considered "sister" manuscripts due to their similarities. Of the two, the figures and artistic style of Aberdeen are more dynamic. The answer to the riddle is the location of the tiger illustration within the bestiary. The story goes that when a tiger's cub is stolen, the thief will throw down a glass ball. She sees her reflection, and even thought she knows it isn't real, her devotion to her cub is such that she can't help but treat it as such.
YES! Great job, guys!!
Oh, so cool! This one was fun even though it was a bit of a tough cookie!
Less useful here now, but this one is quite good for examining. https://www.abdn.ac.uk/bestiary/ms24
Less useful here now, but this one is quite good for examining. https://www.abdn.ac.uk/bestiary/ms24
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