The sky above you grows more dazzling and raucous and then you are approached by an unusual beast. After greeting you, she explains that the Crystal Desert is different from other places in Birdmoss. It is easier to see the Moon and stars here, and easier to feel their effects. Likewise, the creatures here feel the earth’s grinding layers deep beneath their feet, setting their whiskers and wings to trembling.
These small wooden armadillos come in a variety of color combinations. Each one is unique; it was individually carved and hand-painted by artists in Oaxaca, Mexico. They are about 3"-4" long, including the tail.
This type of animal figure is called an "alebrije." Alebrijes were literally dreamed up by an artist named Pedro Linares, a contemporary of Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera. In 1936, ill with a fever, he was visited in a dream by a host of colorful, fantastical creatures such as a winged donkey, a lion with a dog's head, and a rooster with bull's horns. These strange creatures chanted the nonsense word "alebrijes." (Now, "alebrije" is used to mean "fantasy.")
Linares's alebrijes were made of papier mache. In the 1980s, Oaxacan artists began carving them from copal wood, regarded as possessing magical properties. (The resin from the copal tree is used for purification and protection during rites of passage.) High-quality copal alebrijes usually come in 2 or more pieces that fit together. If your armadillo's tail was removed for shipping, you can slot it back in!
In Birdmoss, Armadillos are regarded as fantastical chimeras, true alebrijes. They emerge at night into the cooling Crystal Desert.
Benevolent Beast was featured in the Crystal Desert Box (May 2024).
