A serpent lives at the foot of Victoria Falls – at least, that’s what Dr. Livingstone presumed. Barotse folklore holds that this monster, the Chipique, came from the ocean, traveling over a thousand miles to rest at the falls.
The chipique rules the river by night, and it is unsafe to approach Victoria Falls during that time. Thirty feet in length, the chipique can easily grab a canoe and immobilize it. Its head is small and slate-grey, while its serpentine, heavy body winds in black coils.
Eyewitnesses include Mr. V. Pare, who saw the chipique in 1925. It reared and disappeared into a cave.
References
Green, L. G. (1956) There’s a Secret Hid Away. Howard Timmins, Cape Town.
A Book of Creatures 
Dr. Livingstone, eh? Too bad Chipique didn’t eat him. That might sound harsh since Livingstone wasn’t a complete jerk like some other missionaries I can name but he WAS a missionary so… sorry not sorry
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Whats wrong with him being a missionary though?
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What’s this book about?
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No idea. Secrets apparently.
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Just a large python, then?
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That’s a low blow! Most mythical creatures are just big snakes anyway…
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I mean, it’s also a marine reptile which are always pretty cool to see. Especially since the ones that were the same size as Chipique are extinct. The only extant marine reptiles on record are the sea turtles, sea snakes, saltwater crocodiles (as well as some other kinds of crocodilians I’m pretty sure), and marine iguanas and while they’re all pretty cool they’re not gigantic like Chipique. So I don’t know, man, I think it’s cool. I think people put too much emphasis on creatures having special powers. This isn’t Pokémon. It’s folklore!
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Can I make a another suggestion? Have you heard of my namesake, Azi Dahaka/Zahhak? Some sources like “Weird n’ Wild Creatures” depict it as a three headed serpent/dragon but some stories talk about king who had snakes growing from his shoulders.
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Yes! It’s both of those actually
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Speaking of Weird n’ Wild Creatures, are you up for reviewing their Monsters of the Mind cards (the ones that deal with mythical creatures)? I have fond memories of the series, but a lot of them contain errors (perytons, white yetis, etc.) or outright fabrications (multi-headed krakens, Myrmidons as humanoid insects, Fomorians having multiple animal heads, etc.).
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Weird n’ Wild Creatures was my childhood!
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Is the similarity between the name chipekwe coincidental?
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I have no idea! Might be the same thing
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Maybe the chipekwe is partially reptilian after all. Maybe not. Wdk
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