 | | The Bear in Myth, Mythology and Folklore | | by balisunset, Aug 22, 2008 | | Of all animals, the bear is probably the one that most clearly resembles human beings in appearance. Even apes can stand upright only slouched over and with considerable difficulty. The bear, however, can walk and even run on two legs almost as well as a human. | | Comments(0) Liked It: 2 |
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 | | The Bat in Folklore and Mythology | | by balisunset, Aug 14, 2008 | | Bats have always presented a problem for those who like to divide things into neat, unequivocal categories. Not only are they nocturnal but they also seem, in other ways, to reverse what appears to be the normal order. | | Comments(0) Liked It: 1 |
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 | | Mule, Ass, and Camel in Mythology and Folklore | | by balisunset, Aug 14, 2008 | | The ass, or donkey, and camel are, for the most part, animals of peace that help with daily tasks, while the horse excels in arts of war. The ass and camel both have greater endurance than the horse, though they are not as large or fast. The camel thrives especially in hot, dry climates, and the ass is very surefooted in mountainous areas. The ancient Mesopotamians noticed that crossing a mare, a female horse, with a jackass, or male donkey, would produce a mule, which had many advantages of both species. Nevertheless, the mule has sometimes been stigmatized as a product of an “unnatural” union. | | Comments(0) Liked It: 0 |
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 | | Role of Ant in Folklore and Mythology | | by balisunset, Aug 14, 2008 | | In Greek mythology, after a plague had wiped out his people, King Aeacus begged Zeus, the supreme god, to give him as many citizens as there were ants in a certain sacred tree. Zeus changed the ants in the tree into warriors. These were the Myrmidons, who later fought under Achilles. | | Comments(0) Liked It: 0 |
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 | | Cat in Folktales and Myths | | by balisunset, Aug 3, 2008 | | Parallel to Bast, the cat was featured in Egyptian mythology as one of the many incarnations of the solar god Ra, who struggles against and eventually kills an evil serpent. The amalgamation of the cat and the dragonslayer has left traces in Oriental as well as European folklore, where the motif often got inverted. | | Comments(1) Liked It: 1 |
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