“A Grootmuyl snatches a Bekvisch in its jaws.”
Altyd Honger – – Nooit Genoeg*
THE GROOTMUYL† IS A RAVENOUS FISH: a cruel glutton that is a danger to all in its path.
It is a remnant of times long gone, when much of Bos was a sprawling primordial swamp littered with rocky islands. This predator’s hide is tough and leathery, its primitive scales arranged in a concentric manner, giving their bodies the outlook of earthworms.
A PEST, A SWARM… There are a great many species of Grootmuyl and they can live in both salt- and fresh water, preferring brackish water as its nesting grounds. Likewise, it subsists on a very diverse diet. Ranging from all kinds of fish to flotsam & driftwood; anything can constitute food for these creatures. Surprisingly it can consist for long periods of time on a non-organic diet. When prey is rare, the Bigmouth becomes prone to cannibalism, and during wintertime even more desperate behavior has been witnessed. A Grootmuyl will beach itself if it finds prey outside of the water, with no thought of the consequences.
THESE UNDERWATER PREDATORS will keep growing as long as they can manage their stomachs upkeep. They may typically reach the size of a 3-man canoe before getting mortally wounded in territorial disputes or being eaten by an other, larger creature. This is for the best; as with increased size comes increased appetite, and large specimens are prone to snatching oars in an attempt to throw seamen overboard. If they could, they would eat whole ships: crew, hull, sail & all. Such hulking beasts often appear in tales about giant sea-serpents, such as the story of Vaader Aedelart.
The species has the potential to become a real plague were it not for their self-destructive behavior: they get especially hungry after mating, and will turn on their own partner when the deed is done. Even their own spawn is not safe if no other immediate source of food is available.
In the image we see how a Grootmuyl has snatched a Zogtte‡, a slender carnivorous fish that is no match for a Grootmuyl this size. If prey manages to escape, the hungry Grootmuyl may get frustrated and bite his own tail, in that case he will not let go until he has completely devoured himself. It is considered a bad omen when fishermen catch such an Ourobouros.
Notes
“Altyd Honger, Nooit Genoeg” translates to: “Always Hungry, Never Enough”
Grootmuyl — the Bigmouth fish, a hallmark of Bos iconography, its gluttonous character reminds us of the pitfall of power.
Kolcksteert — Swirltail; a herbivore cousin to the Grootmuyl. So called for tearing up/uprooting marine flora with its strong tail, creating small whirlpools in the process. They mostly reside in freshwater lakes with lots of vegetation.
While Bigmouth meat is tough, stringy and reeks of iron, the meat of the Kolcksteert, can be salted and buried in the dunes, to serve as emergency rations during wartime or exceptionally harsh winters. When it is cooked it turns into a slimy paste, which can be used as a makeshift glue. To lure them, fishermen use smelly old boots or rotting cabbages.Zogtte — a type of Bekvisch (Beak-fish), related to the Fontynneworm.
