The ermine is a predator—the bane of any chicken coop or rabbit hutch—but also an elegant and lissome animal, changing its coat each season. Classical bestaries describe the ermine as a gallant creature, which throws itself into the fray. In the guise of a noble warrior—a Saint George or Don Quixote—the little ermine can be a fearless knight on a quest, clad in armor and battling a dragon...or only a lizard with wings tied to its back.
