Symbol Dictionary: Animals O-R
Octopus or Polypus: According to Symbolic And Mythological Animals (1992) by J. C. Cooper, the octopus is “a symbol of inconstancy and faithlessness as it changes colour under stress.” The octopus is often depicted in Aegean art and Cretan jars. In Mediterranean art its arms become a spiral, representing thunder and the phases of the moon but in Celtic and Scandinavian art, they are straight. Polynesian myths tell of the primordial octopus bearing two children, Fire and Water, who began a conflict that destroyed the world by flood.
Otter: It’s close association with water has defined this animal for many cultures. J. C. Cooper in the book, Symbolic And Mythological Animals (1992) explains, “The otter was an important cult animal in anient Peru and was associated with the ocelot as living near streams and water; the two can be combined in iconography. It takes on the feminine energies of earth and water, being grace and playfulness for the Amerindians and is a trickster for the indigenous North Americans. The Zoroastrians associated it with Ormuzd, and the Celts with the Lord of Animals, Cernunnos. The Ainu consider the otter forgetful.
Owl: As an animal of the night, the Owl, like the moon, is an obvious symbol of the Goddess and they are the totem animals of Minerva, Athene, Lilith, and Blodeuwedd (Welsh Goddess).
Python: Mother Hera gave birth to the python without the help of a male god and the serpent, like Lucifer and Hephaestus, descended to the earth-womb, giving the serpent the goddess’ secrets, making him into an oracle of Delphi. Python and Apollo-Python, according to Barbara Walker, in her book, The Woman’s Encyclopedia Of Myths And Secrets (1983), “were really the same god… like all other light-and-dark twins.” See Serpent.
Ram: As with the bull, stag, and goat, the ram represents the fertile god, sacrificed for the sake of humanity (often replacing the human sacrifice). Aries, the sun god, was depicted as a ram whose annual death and rebirth signified a new year; the Egyptian holly ram was called Amen-Ra; the Jews yearly sacrifice a lamb to the ram god identified with Yahweh; and rams were sacred in Israel as the consort of the Holy Ewe Rachel who later married Jacob in the bible, according to Barbara Walker, in her book, The Woman’s Encyclopedia Of Myths And Secrets (1983).