ENVIS Centre, Ministry of Environment & Forest, Govt. of India

Printed Date: Friday, March 29, 2024

Birds in Legends, Mythology and Religion - II

Country or Religion Mythological creature Role and Myth   
JAPANESE MYTHOLOGY

 
Ho-o Japanese version of the Chinese Fenghuang.

8-Panel Phoenix Screen (Hō-ō zu Byōbu) by Katsushika Hokusai (1760-1849)

Source: : http://www.onmarkproductions.com/html/ho-oo-phoenix.shtml

Suzaku Japanese version of the Chinese Vermillion Bird.


The Red Bird of the South (Suzaku) Found on tomb wall at Kitora Kofun

Source: :  http://www.onmarkproductions.com/html/ssu-ling.shtml

Yatagarasu A 3-legged raven who belongs to the sun goddess Amaterasu.

Yatagarasu noren at Kumano Hongu 

Source :http://www.greenshinto.com/wp/2011/07/25/yatagarasu-the-three-legged-crow/

NORSE MYTHOLOGY 
(mythology of the North Germanic peoples)
Hraesvelg A giant, who in eagle from, creates the wind by beating his wings.

Hraesvelg = corpse-swallower-eagle sit at the northern horizon and cause the North Wind

Source : http://www.catshaman.com/25picst2.htm

Hugin and  Munin
(Thought and Memory)
A pair of ravens associated with the Norse god Odin.
Huginn and Muninn sit on Odin's shoulders in an illustration from an 18th century Icelandic manuscript (Source : Wikipedia)
Vedrfolnir A hawk sitting between the eyes of an eagle in the crown of Yggdrasill, the World Tree.
An illustration from a 17th century Icelandic manuscript shows a hawk, Veðrfölnir, on top of an eagle on top of a tree, Yggdrasil. (Source : Wikipedia)