I've read somewhere that Dumbo was used as inspiration for the art design of the 5th edition Hollyphant (also used for the Baldur's Gate 3 video game).
The original Hollyphant from the AD&D Monster Manual 2 (1982) is described as a miniature mammoth with wings.
The design for the Baldur's Gate Hollyphant moves the wings forward and above the ears (which have also become wings).
Various other instances of flying elephants are described at ShukerNature, the oldest of which comes from the Indian subcontinent.
The Matanga Lila (purportedly dating from at least the time of the Mughal Empire), tells a story related by the hermit Pālakāpya of how elephants lost the ability to fly.
Formerly elephants could go anywhere they pleased, and assume any shape; they roamed as they liked in the sky and on the earth. In the northern quarter of the Himālaya Mountain there is a banyan tree which has a length and breadth of two hundred leagues. On it the excellent elephants alighted (after flying through the air).
They broke off a branch (which fell) upon a hermitage place, where dwelt a hermit named Dīrghatapas. He was angered by this and straightway cursed the elephants. Hence, you see, the elephants were deprived of the power of moving at will, and came to be vehicles for even mortal men.
As far as I can tell however, the flying elephants of South Asian mythology are not described as having wings, although I did read one instance of a Pālakāpya story, which related that elephants had four wings prior to being cursed by Dīrghatapas (but no primary source was given).
The D&D Icons of the Realms Hollyphant (Adventures in Baldur's Gate #20) is the only miniature of this creature that I know of.
Another creature that is described as a white elephant with wings is the Hua-hu Tiao (花狐貂) from a chapter in the Investiture of the Gods. The beast is imprisoned in a panther-skin sack kept by Mó Lǐshòu (魔礼寿/魔禮壽), one of the Four Generals of the Mó Family (魔家四将).
The romanization Hua-hu Tiao is transcribed by the Dunning-Kruger Google Search AI as 桦胡雕 (birchwood carving), though the related mythological information it provided was largely correct. The actual hanzi characters however, are 花狐貂 (sometimes translated as flower marten, or purple fox marten).
I've only looked at the lianhuanhua versions of the story, and the text typically states that the creature turns to the size of a white elephant (while also sprouting wings).
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| The Huahudiao eats Ma Chenglong (or is it Yang Jian?) |
I have not found a single picture from a Chinese source showing the Huahudiao looking like a winged elephant. They are typically depicted as mustelids, or even feline.
My plan is to make a representation of the beast using the Reaper Giant Weasel (Dark Heaven Legends 03897) as a starting point.
The miniature seems to be sized closer to a baby elephant than an adult elephant, but that's fine. I just need to find some wings that look good with the sculpt.
