Questions tagged [animals]
For questions relating to animals in mythology and folklore, symbolism and iconography.
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Is there an origin myth where the donkey as we know it comes be due to exhaustion after winning a race?
I've heard from someone that they vaguely remember a story with these properties, but they don't know where it comes from:
There is a (chariot) race involving different animals.
The donkey team wins.
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Which culture believed in a bird whose flight sustains the universe?
I came across a mythological belief a few weeks ago, I believe in a Sam Kriss piece (1).
It centered around a bird (a swan or goose, I want to say?) that ceaselessly flew (in a primordial void/chaos?) ...
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Looking for god/dess of animals
Does anyone know about a god/dess who is known to have made animals attack other gods or humans? Preferably from non-European/non-Egyptian mythologies, as I already know about the Greek examples.
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What bird species is associated with Pallas Athēnē?
The english Wikipedia article about the bird Athene noctua (called little owl in English) claims, without references, that in Greek mythology, the godess Pallas Athēnē was associated with that bird. ...
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Are there any beings from Norse Mythology that could be mistaken for a Kitsune (fox-person spirit)?
I'm starting a new Roleplaying campaign soon, and my character is norse/icelandic themed.
One of the other character is inspired by Kitsune.
I want to find out what, if anything, might my character ...
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Are owls mentioned in Norse Mythology?
The wikipedia page on Birds in Norse Mythology does not mention
Other websites mention owls:
The owl is associated with Hawthorn and the mystique rune is Huathe. The owl is the guide to the ...
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Is this a real myth? Pembroke Welsh Corgis as mounts for fairies
I've seen this myth floating around the internet for a while now and decided to write about it for a project. The only issue was: I couldn't actually find a reputable source for the claim. Wikipedia's ...
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Besides the Chinese and Western Zodiacs, are there other folk traditions with a different set of creatures? [closed]
I'm a writer working in a book and I need a set of creatures for a fantasy book. To give you an idea of what I intend I already use the animal signs of the Chinese Zodiac in an idea with each one ...
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Sheep that speaks the day of your death
I once heard a myth which went along the lines that somewhere in the North of England there was a sheep (or other animal) which, if approached at the correct time (probably midnight) and date, would ...
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Which (real) birds are most strongly associated with fire?
Birds generally are symbols of high power, e.g. the sun. Excluding mythical birds, which real species are most strongly associated with power, magic, and specifically fire in particular?
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What is the origin of a tale of hummingbird extinguishing a fire in Mesoamerica or South-America?
There's a so-called story about a hummingbird trying to extinguish a forest fire, supposed to originate from South-America, of which I've been trying to find the origin - in vain.
Someone knows ...
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Which ancient cults would cut out the hearts of live animals and offer them as sacrifices?
Which ancient cults would cut out the hearts of live animals and offer them as sacrifices? The Mishnah (Avodah Zarah 2:3) mentions a concept called עורות לבובין which Maimonides and other commentators ...
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Are there tales where people are turned into rats?
In Cinderella, the fairy godmother turns a rat into a coachman, but while I have read many tales where people are turned into other kinds of animals -- crows, wolves, swans, bears, frogs -- I haven't ...
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Are there any gods or similar beings other than Nemesis that laid eggs?
Castor and Pollux, Helen and Clytemnestra are considered twins, and may or may not have hatched from eggs laid by Nemesis after being impregnated by her father Zeus as swans https://www.theoi.com/...
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What is the fable character of a tiger?
In beast fables, the animals are very fixed in character to convey the meaning -- foxes and ravens are crafty, bears are strong but stupid, wolves are fierce, and lions are commanding frequently to ...
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