THE UNICORN OF THE SEA

That the chef armed himself with a narwhal tusk was purely opportunistic – it happened to be decorating the doorway of a nearby fishmonger’s stall and it was the only available weapon in the heat of the attack.

Still, his actions generated lots of comment from observers quick to point out that the weapon was yet another chapter in the ‘supernatural’ powers of the narwhal tusk. And to appreciate that narrative, you need to settle back into an armchair with a glass of your favourite tipple and momentarily detach yourself from reality.

First, some background.

Members of the whale family, narwhals grow to about 4–5m in length and are mostly found in the icy waters around Greenland and Canada. Though shy, elusive creatures, they are most well-known for the