Oliphaunt? I Think Not
Chris K.

I seriously doubt that the infamous picture of a "dead oliphaunt" is really an oliphaunt at all. First of all, it is black. Unless the oliphaunt is burned to a crisp, I think it more likely that it is a Nazgul (or a Nazgul mount, to be proper). Secondly, it looks as if the head is off towards the left, with some evil-looking horns protruding from the head (reminiscent of the beasts from the end of "Ghostbusters"). Clearly an attribute of an evil creature. Thirdly, and I might be off here, but wasn't a Nazgul mount assaulted with arrows during one of the battles? It's been awhile since I read the books, but if you look at the picture you can clearly see that the beast is filled with a hundred or so arrows (shot while in flight?). Anyway, that's just my 2 cents. Sorry if someone already made these points -- they just struck me.