Beast

Sources : Zerahav

Armenian Physiologus (Chapter 33): There is a bird called zerahav which inhabits the sea. She lays eggs only with great pain, and strives to make its eggs as large as possible. She hides them at the bottom of the ocean, and only leaves them once or twice at most, because she fears her enemies so much. Then, rising to the surface of the water, and with her eyes fixed on the depths of the sea, she incubates her eggs from there until the little one hatches. Then, calling for help, she dives to the bottom, and brings her young to the shore, where she feeds them. Thus God lowers his gaze on the children of the earth, and from heaven he broods over them with his eyes, until, emerging from this abyss of misfortunes, we arrive at the new Jerusalem, which is the mother of all children, and feeds them with heavenly food. As the zerahav rises only with difficulty from the bottom of the sea in order to incubate her young and bring them to light; in the same way Jesus Christ withdraws us with great difficulty from the abyss of sin, to save us from the hands of Satan and his infernal companions. - [Armenian text from Pitra, page 389 / French translation by Cicade / English translation by Google]