I think it was my mom who first spotted this Basilisk hiding out among the leaves on a riverbank near Chilamate, CR; they are incredibly well camouflaged and can sit preposterously still, virtually disappearing into their environment when they do not wish to be observed. In European folklore, the Basilisk was a creature that could bring death with a glance; it was a monster of terrifying mythology. Some of these stories are suspected to have been informed by biblical narratives; the serpent that haunted Adam and Eve in the garden left behind a legacy so affecting that it persisted into the dark ages, the renaissance, and beyond. What is interesting here is how the mythology of the creature is at odds with its nomenclature. The "real" Basilisk-- the reptile pictured here-- is known colloquially as the "Jesus Christ Lizard." This is because the exploitation of physics, lateral reaction forces, and the creation of microscopic air bubbles allow the Basilisk to literally run across the water when threatened, looking for salvation on the other side. The stories that we tell are a product of our place and time, and they often end up defining us; but what if the thing that we fear-- the monster of our mythology-- is actually our savior?