Some animals are used as symbols. Tigers and lions are often used as a symbol of strength. Condors are used in the national emblems of many South American countries. Strong animals are favored as national symbols. On the other hand, the image of foxes is bad. They are described as a tricky animal in many books, especially in Aesop's Fables.
What animals they think a great deal of depends on the country. Cows are important in India, and dolphins and whales seem to be special animals in Europe and the U.S. In Japan, turtles are a symbol of longevity, and the fox is the familiar of the god Inari, who is the god of the rice plant. Humans have tried to gain something from animals since ancient times. What animals in your country have a special meaning?
Replies
We Germans associate with animals human characteristics, such as the following:
bee: diligence
donkey: stupidity
Owl: wisdom
Bat: blindness
Fox: slyness, cunning
Goose: conceit
Hare: timidity
Hen: motherly
Dog: loyalty
Rabbit: fertility
Cat: deceitfulness
Lamb: innocence
Leo: dignity
Peacock: pride, vanity
Rabe: misfortune
Sheep: simplicity
Serpent: wisdom
Pig: impurity
Bull/stallion: strenth
Strauss: folly
Dove: harmlessness
Tiger: wildness
Turtle Dove: marital fidelity
Worm: flatterer, sycophant
Hello, Rose. Thank you for your reply. It's an interesting list. It is a little surprise for me that serpents are associated with wisdom.
Oi there, folks
In my country, Poland, almost every animal has a symbolic characteristic, I shall not oversuse the chatters' patience by boring them with a long and verbose description of it, I will just mention some [my memory isn't that good as it ued to be once, heh]:
Owl - wisdom and patience
Bison - grandeur and power
Fox - cunningness
Wofl - persistance and courage
Lynx -stealth and sharp sight
Goose - foolishness and gullibility
Sheep - meekness
stallion - [that neends no comment, no?]
Hello, Rysperski. Thank you for your reply. Wolves seem to have a good image for Europeans, but not for Japanese people.
Hello, in my country, that is Italy, there are many animals that are used as a symbol. For example, eagles are meaning of a very good eyesight, foxes and cats are meaning of cunning, owls are meaning of wisdom and so on.
I think that everyone of us could have one or more special animals that for their meanings, can teach much more that a human teacher: it is common knowledge that animals don't speak, but everyone of them can teach us much more than an upstanding behaviour to follow every day.
Hello, Rita Daniela Balestrieri. Thank you for your reply. Owls are a symbol of wisdom in Japan, too. It is interesting. Yes, we can be taught many things by animals.
Hmmm... I'm late here : /
Hahaha. Mary has already answered it.
Yah.. she might be faster but you know my replies are more refined and elegant, right? :D Agree with her this time tho.
ours is Tiger : Harimau
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