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Mythical and Magical Creatures

Mythical and Magical Creatures

Powerful deities and humans often shape-shifted into birds and animals. The fertility goddess Freya, put on a falcon skin and took the form of a falcon, allowing her to fly high above the Earth. The ancients adopted an animal or bird form, when they wished to travel undetected by humans. The ancient Egyptians associated higher animal qualities with revered deities, believing the sacred animals and birds embodied the characteristics of their gods and goddesses. The Egyptians worshiped the goddess Bast in her cat form, she was the goddess of dance, music, women, fertility and children, hers is a symbol of empowerment for women worldwide. The native North American Indians believed in the power of animals and birds to protect them and to provide fertile land, they saw them as messengers of the deities. The griffon and unicorn were adopted in medieval times as family crests, their image engraved on armour and seen as a symbol of strength and protection. The North American Indians engraved their totem poles with animal images and called upon the protective magical animal spirits to nurture and watch over them. The unicorn was first described by the ancient Greek naturalist Cresias in 398 BCE, he told tales of a white horse he had seen with one horn protruding from its head.