Animal Lore

[StormVixen]

I thought it might be nice to start a thread (hopefully it will become a sticky) with information on all animals... i will write about animals i know but please feel free to add your own... i will put links to animals already spoken about on MW and links out of MW... i can't start now as im writing a job application... i will edit this first post to add info on native UK wildlife...

:cheers:

[Agaliha]

FORUM GUIDE MODE:
Moving this to Myths and Folklore (http://www.mysticwicks.com/forumdisplay.php?f=298), which covers animal lore/myths and tons of other things. To see what topics are covered in Myths and Folklore (http://www.mysticwicks.com/forumdisplay.php?f=298) please read this thread: What is Folklore & Mythology: Definitions and Info (http://www.mysticwicks.com/showthread.php?t=143548). Thanks!

The main reason why I'm moving it to Myths & Folklore is because you placed it in Magical Creatures and Familiars, which gave me the impression you were hinting at info other than straight scientific biology info (and you titled it "animal lore"). If you were going for scientific info, let me know and I'll move it to Critter Chat.



I write about animals (nature fiction and occasionaly "talking animals"). I've been doing a lot of research on African animals lately and have found tons of great sites, but I think they're more suited for Critter Chat. I do know of many animal folklore and myths sites. I can add some.

[StormVixen]

ok... but i dont see why it wasn't ok in magical creatures and familiars... seeing as its going to be about the "magical" associations of animals, such as totems, omens, medicine etc.

[Agaliha]

ok... but i dont see why it wasn't ok in magical creatures and familiars... seeing as its going to be about the "magical" associations of animals, such as totems, omens, medicine etc.

Because it doesn't fit there.
From what I understand "Magical Creatures" includes: unicorns, dragons, mermaids, faeries etc. Not folklore and totemic associations of actual animals that we can see and are scientifically known (cats, crows, spider), even though those associations you are talking about are used in magic.

Totemic associations, myths, lore and all that belongs in Myths & foklore. If the "animals" you were to talk about here unicorns, dragons and fae (which aren't animals) and the like then it would fit in "Magical Creatures and Familiars", where the summary says: "Dragons, Fae, and other magical creatures!" (not animals seen in a magical way, there's a difference)

Folklore of foxes, lions and rodents doesn't fit there. Neither does the lore of the hummingbirds, crows and spiders. Or UK animals-- which from what I understand aren't fantasy, but very much reality. Unless the deer there literally have wings and the rabbits literally can fly and breathe fire. Which they don't.

So no, this thread wouldn't fit there. The magical aspect of omens, totems and associations doesn't translated to Magical/Fantastic Creatures.
Make sense?

Now here are some links I've found. There are tons more.
All of which are either mythology, folklore and symbolism...things covered by this forum.

from the The British Columbia Folklore Society-- Hummingbird Lore & Legend. (http://www.folklore.bc.ca/Hummingbirds.htm)
Animal Symbolism in Celtic Mythology (http://www-personal.umich.edu/~lars/rel375.html)
Frog Fables and Parables (http://allaboutfrogs.org/stories/fables.html)
Animals as Represented in Mythology and Folklore (http://www.suite101.com/article.cfm/16756/92510)
Mithologies, Stories, Movies of the World (http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Valley/8116/story.html)
Animals in Exile (http://www.pitt.edu/~dash/type0130.html)
Mystic's Menagerie: Animals, Birds & Insects A2Z Grid (http://www.mystical-www.co.uk/animal/ania2z.htm)
Russian Folk Tales and Folk Belief: Animal Tales (http://user.aol.com/MHoll/Tales/AnimalTales2.html)
Corvidae: Fiction (http://www.shades-of-night.com/aviary/birdfict.html)
Gathering of Crows, A (http://www.geocities.com/Athens/9884/crow.html)
Hummingbird Legends (http://www.hummingbirdworld.com/h/legends.htm)
Fascinating Folklore of Birds (http://birding.about.com/library/weekly/aa041801a.htm)
Owls in Mythology, Culture and Legends (http://www.owlpages.com/mythology/)
Cat Folklore and Superstitions (http://www.xmission.com/~emailbox/folklore.htm)
Pawprints and Purrs: Lore of the Cat (http://www.sniksnak.com/lore.html)
Pawprints and Purrs: Feline Folklore (http://www.sniksnak.com/folklore.html)
Magic Paw: Cats and World Mythology (http://pio.tripod.com/magicpaw/catmyths.html)
Tidbits of Cat Mythology and Folklore from Various Cultures (http://www.wuzzle.org/cave/catbits.html)
Black Dogs in Folklore (http://www.djmcadam.com/blackdogs.htm)
Divine Serpent in Myth and Legend, The (http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Delphi/5789/serpent.htm)
Snake Mythology (http://www.umass.edu/umext/nrec/snake_pit/pages/myth.html)
What is the Ouroboros? (http://www.dragon.org/chris/ouroboros.html)
European folklore on bats (http://rds.yahoo.com/_ylt=A0oGklv556tFroIALktXNyoA;_ylu=X3oDMTB2OWM1MXQ5BGNvbG8DdwRsA1dTMQRwb3MDNARzZWMDc3IEdnRpZAM-/SIG=12k772eqf/EXP=1168980345/**http%3a//www.cornwallwildlifetrust.org.uk/nature/bats/folklore.htm)
More about dragonflies (http://rds.yahoo.com/_ylt=A0oGkjFQ6KtFdnoBrzlXNyoA;_ylu=X3oDMTB2dW8yNmN0BGNvbG8DdwRsA1dTMQRwb3MDOQRzZWMDc3IEdnRpZAM-/SIG=11rbq44ke/EXP=1168980432/**http%3a//www.dragonflydream.com/more.html) -- folklore
Ladybug Legends & Lore! (http://rds.yahoo.com/_ylt=A0oGkklz6KtFWlcAwmpXNyoA;_ylu=X3oDMTB2cXVjNTM5BGNvbG8DdwRsA1dTMQRwb3MDMQRzZWMDc3IEdnRpZAM-/SIG=11udkf3pl/EXP=1168980467/**http%3a//www.celticbug.com/Legends/Lore.html)
Ladybug Legends & Lore (http://rds.yahoo.com/_ylt=A0oGkjeD6KtFq68AVDxXNyoA;_ylu=X3oDMTEwamo4ZjVjBGNvbG8DdwRsA1dTMQRwb3MDMTQEc2VjA3NyBHZ0aWQD/SIG=11oa7l5n4/EXP=1168980483/**http%3a//ladybugsociety.org/page2.html)
Aesop's Fables Online Collection (http://www.aesopfables.com/)
Messengers of the Gods (http://www.epiphanysmessenger.com/Hummingbird.html) -- hummingbirds
Totem related sites:



Morningstar Totem Animal Medicines (http://rds.yahoo.com/_ylt=A0oGkjfy6KtF264AxfNXNyoA;_ylu=X3oDMTB2cXVjNTM5BGNvbG8DdwRsA1dTMQRwb3MDMQRzZWMDc3IEdnRpZAM-/SIG=11uqu6qce/EXP=1168980594/**http%3a//morningstar.netfirms.com/totem.html) --Various animal and insect medicine, lore
Animal totems (http://www.sayahda.com/cycle.htm)-- interesting facts and info
Life's Path, various totems (http://wolfs_moon.tripod.com/totemspage.html)
Totems (http://www.linsdomain.com/totems.htm)
Animal Teachers (http://funkman.org/animal/main/animalteacherslinks.html) -- "Learn from Crawling Ones, Cold-Blooded Ones, Finned and Water Ones, Warm-Blooded Ones, and Winged Ones." -- lots of info on many species and such.
Animal totem list (http://www.montanadreams.net/symbology/animals/animals.html)And if you want I can sticky the thread once there is more info :)

[StormVixen]

groovylicious...! now i get it... all i need to do now is gather my info!