Animals from fables, fairy-tales and myths

Winston · May 5, 2003, 18:57

It's quite interesting how different animals have been used in literature to symbolize different traits and aspects of human character. I think we're all to some extent influenced by this, in that we view certain animals, birds etc. with some well-established ideas of what virtues - or the opposite - they represent.

I thought it'd be fun to see just how many animals are symbolic to aspects of human behaviour. Below are some examples, see if you can come up with more!

The eagle is brave
The fox is sly and cunning
The lion is majestic and fearless
The swan is graceful
The owl is wise
The rabbit is ehm, promiscuous

Dr Strangelove · May 5, 2003, 19:09

In which fairy tale are rabbits promiscuous? In American folk lore it is the rabbit (Br'er Rabbit) who is cunning. The fox is greedy and scheming, but not as smart as he thinks he is.

Winston · May 5, 2003, 19:13

No fairy-tale specifically, but I think it's fair to say the rabbit is also widely perceived to be a bit on fire in its lower regions...

The bear is good-natured and sluggish.

Spiffor · May 5, 2003, 19:20

The donkey is naive
The lamb is weak and gets screwed

oedo · May 5, 2003, 19:23

the wulf is evil, agressive but stupid.
the roadrunner makes beep beep

alva · May 5, 2003, 22:41

A dog is loyal
A cat is false

A donkey is stubborn

Nubclear · May 5, 2003, 23:10

Quote:

Originally posted by Spiffor
The lamb is weak and gets screwed

Dr Strangelove · May 6, 2003, 00:00

Quote:

Originally posted by Spiffor
The lamb is weak and gets screwed

What about the wrath of the lamb and the Paracleet of Gaborkah?

Sava · May 6, 2003, 00:09

the Sava is the king of all life

asleepathewheel · May 6, 2003, 01:29

The squonk is always sad

statusperfect · May 6, 2003, 06:05

The seagull is a happy bird.

TheStinger · May 6, 2003, 06:09

The Panda is lazy and crap at sex

oedo · May 6, 2003, 06:14

the squirrel......?

statusperfect · May 6, 2003, 06:23

Quote:

Originally posted by oedo
the squirrel......?

Has problems with his memory.

Dr Strangelove · May 6, 2003, 08:12

Squirrel is courageous and smart. Rocky is always looking after his moose friend. They're patriotic too.

Donkey is chronically depressed. Pooh and his other friends invest a lot of time and energy to cheer him up. What kind of kid has fantasies about depressed animals? Christopher Robin needs to talk to a child psychiatrist. I think he has some dark issues.

rah · May 6, 2003, 08:36

Evil creatures.
Snake, (bible, and almost any Fantasy novel)
Crow/ravens, (always the look outs or spys for evil)
Barracuda (From Diver Dan)

RAH

Bereta_Eder · May 6, 2003, 08:41

Quote:

Originally posted by alva
A dog is loyal

So even when Oddysseus was gone for years and had even disguised himslef and reutrned to Ithaka noone recognized him, but his dog

Quote:

Thus they spake one to the other. And lo, a hound raised up his head and pricked his ears, even where he lay, Argos, the hound of Odysseus, of the hardy heart, which of old himself had bred, but had got no joy of him, for ere that, he went to sacred Ilios. Now in time past the young men used to lead the hound against wild goats and deer and hares; but as then, despised he lay (his master being afar) in the deep dung of mules and kine, whereof an ample bed was spread before the doors, till the thralls of Odysseus should carry it away to dung therewith his wide demesne. There lay the dog Argos, full of vermin. Yet even now when he was aware of Odysseus standing by, he wagged his tail and dropped both his ears, but nearer to his master he had not now the strength to draw. But Odysseus looked aside and wiped away a tear that he easily hid from Eumaeus, and straightway he asked him saying:

" Eumaeus, verily this is a great marvel, this hound lying here in the dung. Truly he is goodly of growth, but I know not certainly if he have speed with this beauty, or if he be comely only, like as are men's trencher dogs that their lords keep for the pleasure of the eye."

Then didst thou make answer, swineherd Eumaeus: " In very truth this is the dog of a man that has died in a far land. If he were what once he was in limb and in the feats of the chase, when Odysseus left him to go to Troy, soon wouldst thou marvel at the sight of his swiftness and his strength. There was no beast that could flee from him in the deep places of the wood, when he was in pursuit; for even on a track he was the keenest hound. But now he is holden in an evil case, and his lord hath perished far from his own country, and the careless women take no charge of him."

statusperfect · May 6, 2003, 08:48

Quote:

Originally posted by rah
Barracuda (From Diver Dan)

And the disney mermaid movie!

Wernazuma III · May 6, 2003, 16:01

The bear is always outwitted. Strong, but dumb, not really evil but not to be annoyed.

Dr Strangelove · May 6, 2003, 18:10

Quote:

Originally posted by Wernazuma III
The bear is always outwitted. Strong, but dumb, not really evil but not to be annoyed.

How about Yogi? He always gets the best of Mr. Ranger.

Wraith · May 6, 2003, 19:22

--"I thought it'd be fun to see just how many animals are symbolic to aspects of human behaviour."

Pretty much all of them have various aspects. It'd be much easier to pick an animal you were interested in and do some research. Various cultures will see them differently, and what you find out depends on which mythologies you look into.

--"Crow/ravens, (always the look outs or spys for evil)"

Not really. They're also seen as messengers of the gods, as guides, and as prophets. They are associated with death (they're carrion eaters, after all), but there are a lot of positive connections with them in mythology (remember Odin, with Hugin and Mugin?). Especially in Eastern mythology, where they're often seen as symbols of creation.

Wraith
"The difference between literature and journalism is that journalism is unreadable and literature is not read."
-- Oscar Wilde

Zkribbler · May 6, 2003, 19:30

Quote:

Originally posted by Dr Strangelove
How about Yogi?

He's smarter than the average bear.

The owl in most cultures stands for death. In Western literature, it became the symbol of wisdom because it is the companion of Minerva, the Goddess of Wisdom.

The Rat is cunning and without scruples.

The unicorn is pure and graceful

The horse is steadfast.

The rooster is proud, cocky

, and ot-nay oo-tay ight-bray, if you know what I mean.

Tiamat · May 6, 2003, 19:34

And the dragon is?!?

Bosh · May 6, 2003, 20:10

Quote:

Squirrel is courageous and smart. Rocky is always looking after his moose friend. They're patriotic too.

but really:

The Squirrel is the spirit of the forest,
the spirit of the land.
Quiet expectation, silent movement,
running far away from our eyes,
invisible life all around.

Squirrels are us, in an angry world
looking forward
to just another day in existence.
Always worried, always scared,
fighting against the relentless,
beauty without hope.

Squirrels are us, ever under pressure,
dreams of safety and warmth, digging up time,
trying to flee of an unavoidable destiny.

The squirrel is magic,
a red flame in the cold green of the forest in Old Europe,
a grey ghost in the polyphonic colors of the yellow and ruddy in the New World's autumn.
A single song of beauty, a sole chant of happiness.

Unchained life.
To love the squirrels is to love the best of the human soul,
mercy to weakness, reverence to fairness, respect to diversity.
People who hate squirrels really hate themselves.

Tuberski · May 6, 2003, 20:15

The squirrel is a rat with good P.R.

ACK!

alva · May 6, 2003, 23:04

Or it's the other way around...

!kca

Drake Tungsten · May 6, 2003, 23:11

The frog is arrogant, stinky, has a horrible sense of humor and surrenders at the drop of a hat.