A whimsical take by 13th-century scientists on why the hedgehog has spikes

Based on a passage from the Rochester Bestiary, a richly illustrated 13th-century text on real and mythical animals, De Herinacio (On the Hedgehog) is a stop-motion animated glimpse into Medieval thought. Relaying a creative interpretation about why hedgehogs have spines in its original Latin, this charming short video from the Polish animator Ala nunu Leszyńska and Discarding Images illuminates a time when animal mythology was used to reinforce Christian morals.