A hypothetical beast supposed to devour “good and enduring husbands,” of which there was (supposedly) no lack, that's why it's described as being very fat. Compare to Chichevache, who only ate patient wives and was therefore skinny, har dee har har.

The business with the horns is an allusion to the devil.

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Bi"corn (?), Bi"corned (?), Bi*cor"nous (?), a. [L. bicornis; bis twice + cornu horn: cf. F. bicorne. Cf. Bickern.]

Having two horns; two-horned; crescentlike.

 

© Webster 1913.

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