The Owl Eye Spring 2016

Owl Myth and Lore
India
The Barn owl is the "vahana" (transport/vehicle/mount)
of the Hindu goddess of wisdom, Lakshmi. As such, the
owl is held as a symbol of wisdom and learning. The eagle
owls, especially the rock eagle owl [Bubo bengalensis] and
the brown fish owl [Bubo zeylonensis] are called " ullu" in
Hindi and the word is also used as a synonym for "idiot"
or "imbecile". The most chilling sound during the quiet
and cold winter nights in the plains of Bengal is perhaps
the call of the " kaal penchaa", the Brown Hawk Owl. The
rhythmic "kuk - kuk - kuk" is believed to be a foreboding
of impending death. (Information thanks to Anirban
Brahmachari of Northern India)
Lakshmi Goddess with Owl
vedicgoddess.weebly.com
Inuit Eskimo Legend of Owl and Raven:
Celtic
(Cailleach, Oidhche, Comachag)
The word "cailleach" in the Scottish-Gaelic means old woman!, "coileach-oidhche" is the word for owl,
believe it or not it means "night-cockerel"! These birds were most often associated with the Crone
aspect of the Goddess. The owl is often a guide to and through the Underworld, a creature of keen
sight in darkness, and a silent and swift hunter. It can help unmask those who would deceive you or take
advantage of you. Owls are believed to have played a more prominent role in early Celtic cults, and could
perhaps have derived from a more broadly based deity of a common European descent. Predating the
Greek cult of Athene, for whom the owl was an animal attribute, were images of these mysterious birds
in Celtic lands.
Art By Wayside Boutique by Yui
For more information visit:
www.thewhitegoddess.co.uk
Owl and Raven were close friends. One day Raven made a new dress, drappled black and white, for
Owl. Owl, in return, made for Raven a pair of Whale-bone boots and then began to make for her a
white dress. When Owl wanted to fit the dress, Raven hopped about a-nd would not sit still. Owl
became very angry and said, “If I fly over you with a blubber lamp, don’t jump.” Raven continued to hop
about. At last Owl became very angry and emptied the blubber lamp over the new white dress. Raven
cried, “Qaq! Qaq!” Ever since that day Raven has been black all over.
Marble owl by Toonoo
Sharky
at:
carvingsnunavut.com
This Story was found at:
www.fristpeople.us