The Eagle and the Octopus

I am taking a quick break from my website rewrites to share a remarkable video with you all. I would not have believed it had they not captured it on video. I know many people feel that we should not interfere in Nature. But I was very glad that they saved the eagle. Yes, I know that octopi need to eat, too. They are not our national symbol, though.
After watching this incredible life-or-death duel, you can read my Today in History posts, though they will not be nearly as dramatic.
https://www.cnn.com/2019/12/12/americ...
On December 14, 1553, my favorite French king, Henri of Navarre, was born. If only I’d had nine lives like a cat, I’d have loved to write about him.
On December 14, 1287, one of the worst floods in history occurred. It was known as the St Lucia’s flood because it happened the day after St Lucy’s Day. A dike broke during a savage storm and it is estimated that 50,000 people were drowned in the Netherlands and northern Germany. Hundreds also died in England. The flood changed the history of the Netherlands by creating direct sea access for the village of Amsterdam, which allowed it to become a major port city.
On December 14, 1476 (maybe) Vlad the Impaler died. Prince of Wallachia, he earned a reputation in his lifetime for great cruelty, as his name indicates. But his real notoriety came in the 19th century when the novelist Bram Stoker chose Vlad’s family name—Dracul—for his infamous vampire, Dracula. I am sure Stoker never dreamed that vampires would become sex symbols in our time!
And on December 14th, 1542, King James V of Scotland died. He was the son of Margaret Tudor and the father of the little girl who would become known to history as Mary, Queen of Scots.