The Lion and the Unicorn facts for kids

The lion and the unicorn as they appear on both versions of the Royal coat of arms of the United Kingdom. In the Scottish version (shown right) the two have switched places and both are crowned, and the lion on top is coloured red.

The Lion and the Unicorn are important symbols of the United Kingdom. They are special figures called supporters that hold up the royal coat of arms of the United Kingdom. This is like a special shield or emblem used by the King or Queen.

The lion represents England. The unicorn represents Scotland. These two animals came together as symbols in 1603. This was when James I of England became King of England. He was already James VI of Scotland. This meant England and Scotland shared the same ruler.

These symbols have also been used in other places. They appeared on the arms of Hanover from 1837 to 1866. They have also been part of the arms of Canada since 1921.

The Lion and Unicorn Nursery Rhyme

The Lion and the Unicorn as they appear in A Nursery Rhyme Picture Book by L. Leslie Brooke.

There is an old story about the lion and the unicorn. This story is told in a popular nursery rhyme. It describes a playful fight between the two animals. The rhyme has been around for a long time. It is known as Roud Folk Song Index number 20170.

The most common words for the rhyme are:

The lion and the unicorn

Were fighting for the crown

The lion beat the unicorn

All around the town.

Some gave them white bread,

And some gave them brown;

Some gave them plum cake

and drummed them out of town.

This rhyme might have become more popular after the Acts of Union 1707. These acts officially joined England and Scotland. Just one year later, in 1708, a poet named William King wrote a verse. It was very similar to the first part of the modern rhyme. Over time, more verses were added to this rhyme.

Another verse that is sometimes included is:

And when he had beat him out,

He beat him in again;

He beat him three times over,

His power to maintain.

The Lion and Unicorn in Through the Looking-Glass

John Tenniel's illustration for Through the Looking-Glass.

The famous writer Lewis Carroll used the lion and the unicorn in his book. They appear as characters in his 1871 novel, Through the Looking-Glass. In the story, they are fighting over the crown of the White King. This is a bit funny because they are both on the White side.

Carroll changed the usual ideas about these animals. The lion is often seen as strong and smart. But in his story, the lion is slow and a bit silly. However, he is still the better fighter. The unicorn's role is also changed. He sees Alice, the main character, as a "monster." But he promises to believe in her if she believes in him.

The pictures for the book were drawn by Sir John Tenniel. His drawings of the Lion and Unicorn were thought to look like two famous politicians of the time. These were Benjamin Disraeli (as the Unicorn) and William Ewart Gladstone (as the Lion). They often had big debates in Parliament. But there is no clear proof that Lewis Carroll meant for this.