Symbol Dictionary: Animals F-G-H
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Fish: This symbol has traditionally been a world-wide symbol for the Great Mother, as a pointed-oval, sign of the yoni, Vesica Piscis or Vessel of the Fish. The Hindus first gave this title to the Goddess because they said a woman’s yoni had a fishy odor (in actuality, this odor is caused by an out-of-balance natural bacteria of the vagina, a healthy yoni should smell more like warm yogurt due to the acidophilus). In Chinese mythology the Great Mother Kwan-Yin often appeared as a fish-goddess. Minaksi, a portrayal of Kali became the “fish-eyed” one who swallowed Shiva’s penis. Similarly, Isis became Abtu, the Great Fish of the Abyss after swallowing Osiris’s penis. The Greek word, delphos meant both fish and womb, and the Oracle of Delphi was originally connected to the Goddess Themis, who took the shape of a great fish, whale, or dolphin. The tradition of eating fish on Fridays is practiced in Catholicism but was originally a celebration of the fish-goddess Aphrodite Salacia because her sacred day was Friday, which in Latin turned into the Day of Venus, for lovemaking, believing fish was an aphrodisiac. From Symbols Of Church Seasons And Days (1997), by John Bradner, “Early Christians frequently used the fish as a symbol of Christ,” due to it’s similarity in to Christ in Greek. Like many widespread symbols, Christianity co-opted the fish as the symbol of Christ, code-naming Jesus the “fish” (left top). Barbara Walker in her book, The Woman’s Encyclopedia Of Myths And Secrets (1983) explains, “The fish symbol of the yonic Goddess was so revered throughout the Roman empire that Christian Authorities insisted on taking it over, with extensive revision of myths to deny its earlier female-genital meanings.” Mary is sometimes portrayed with the fish symbol on her belly, representative of the womb. Salmon are a particularly important fish for Indigenous Americans, as well as Celts. |
Frog: The Frog is a symbol of fertility and the fetus. This Medieval witch’s totem stems from the ancient Frog of Hecate or Egyptian Queen of Heavenly midwives Hekat, whose sacred amulet of a frog included the words “I Am the Resurrection” (Walker, 1983). In Rome Hecate became Venus, whose fleur-de-lis was a trinity of frogs. The Babylonian fertility charm of a cylinder seals with Nine frogs corresponds to the Ninefold Goddess of the nine months of gestation.
Goat: “Both sexes of the goat symbolize fertility, vitality, and ceaseless energy. The he-goat is the epitome of masculine virility and creative energy, while the female typifies the feminine generative power and abundance… The goat is lust personified,” according to Symbolic And Mythological Animals (1992) by J. C. Cooper. Gazelle and Antelope also take on the symbolism of the goat. As one of the first domesticated animals, goat skins were made into drinking bottles and parchment while the hair was woven into cloth and the meat and milk consumed. The goat was associated with such gods as Artemis and Dionysos (who sometimes took the form of a goat). Pan was half goat, Azazel was the Semitic goat-god of life and creativity, and Leshi was the Russian wood-spirit satyr. Satyrs were half-goat, half-man. Christ was referred to as the scapegoat taking away the sins of the world. The goat Amalthea suckled Zeus Dictynnos and her horns became the cornucopia of plenty. Goats were important to the sacrifices of Artemis and Athene, as well as at the Roman Lupercalia, as fertility magic. In Chinese tradition the goat represents the masculine yang principle as the Spirit God Yang Ching.
Goose: The Goose, like many fairytales creatures, has a rich and powerful past. Originally an Egyptian myth, Mother Hathor takes the form of the Nile Goose who lays the Golden Egg of her son, Ra, the sun God, which is sometimes called the Goose-egg. The Mother Goose is also credited with producing the primal World Egg that hatched the universe. Shamans had a tradition of climbing a Heavenly Vine, or Ladder of Set, to the other-worldly home of a solar deity, whose incantation was “the Egg of the Goose appearing from out of the sycamore.” Fairytales such as Jack and the Beanstalk and Mother Goose are thinly veiled retellings of these religious myths. Barbara Walker in her book, The Woman’s Encyclopedia Of Myths And Secrets (1983) explains, “Like Hathor, Mother Goose was the godmother of all children. In her pictures she always wore the traditional garb of the witch-midwife: black cloak, pointed hat like the Egyptian crown, and magic wand.” See Egg.
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Griffin: Also spelled Griffon or Gryphon. This imaginary middle-eastern and Aserian creature is half eagle (head and talons) and half lion. According to Symbolic And Mythological Animals (1992) by J. C. Cooper, the griffin “combines the powers of the earth and sky. As a guardian it furthermore depicts vigilance and vengeance. It traveled to the East and shared the symbolism of enlightenment and wisdom along with the dragon. In Greece it became sacred to Apollo as a solar being, Athene as wisdom, and Nemesis as vengeance (whose chariot is drawn by griffins in Roman |
Hare: The hare is a universal lunar animal from Mexico, South Africa, Asia, and China. According to Symbolic And Mythological Animals (1992) by J. C. Cooper, “The hare is always an attribute of lunar deities and acts as their messenger; like the moon it depicts periodic death and rebirth, rejuvenation, resurrection. The hare is also universally a fertility symbol; it also represents fleetness, timidity and craftiness.” In Assyria and Egypt the hare is considered an animal of the hunt but the Turks and Jews consider it an unclean food. In Rome it was let loose as part of the festival of the Floralia. The Celts associated them with their Moon Goddesses and Hunter Gods, who often held the hare, as well as the Scandinavian Freyja and the Teutonic Holda, Harke or Harfa. The Teutonic lunar Goddess Oestra or Eostra, whose name derives Easter, was hare-headed, and thus the hare became the Easter bunny. The Hare in the Moon epitomizes the feminine yin and is sometimes considered the maker of the elixir of immortality and patron of longevity, and the guardian of all wild animals. The Buddha took the form of the Great Hare and the Hindu moon god Chandras carries the hare. The Ainu of Japan believe they come from heaven, made of the hair of deer but they have the evil eye. European legends regarded the hare as a witch’s familiar and unlucky. Manabozho was a Great Hare creator for the Amerindians and West Africans celebrated the hare as the magical Brer Rabbit.
Horse: The horse has been associated with the sacred king or divine ruler throughout history and peoples, including the people of Norse, Rome, Greek, Crete, Sweden, Celts, Norway, Germany, Kent, and Pagans of Northern Europe. Horse sacrifices, rituals, statues, and titles have been prolific since ancient pagan horse worship. The title Hengist and Horsa (Stallion and Mare) was used in Kent as the title of the King and Queen, the ruling pair. This later carried over to other traditions such as tacking a two-headed horse to the threshold of homes for luck in Jutes. Warriors tested their strength on horses, were buried with their horses, and rode to heaven on the backs of horses. Several costumes arose of tearing sacred kings to pieces by priestesses wearing horse masks (in Sweden), or by literal horses in Crete mythology. Pope Calixtus III in the 15th century and the Christian King Haakon in the 10th century condemned horse worshipping and sacrifices. In her book The Woman’s Encyclopedia Of Myths And Secrets (1983), Barbara Walker explains, “Traces of the horse sacrifice persisted in England up to the 16th century, when it was still customary for all horses to be bled on St. Stephen’s Day, the day after Christmas, for ‘luck.’”