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Symbolic Animals in Mythology
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Unicorn
Symbolic meaning: Purity, innocence, and magic. Associated myths: Often depicted as a rare and magical creature with a single horn in various folklore and legends.
Horse
Symbolic meaning: Freedom, power, and journey. Associated myths: The winged horse Pegasus in Greek mythology, and the eight-legged horse Sleipnir in Norse mythology, are famed examples.
Dolphin
Symbolic meaning: Intelligence, friendship, and protection. Associated myths: Sacred to Apollo and Poseidon in Greek mythology, often depicted as helpers of humans.
Dragon
Symbolic meaning: Power, strength, and wisdom. Associated myths: Featured in many cultures, from European tales of knights and dragons to Chinese stories of dragons as benevolent creatures.
Fox
Symbolic meaning: Cunning, strategy, and intelligence. Associated myths: Features in a range of stories from Aesop's Fables to Native American mythology, often playing the role of a trickster.
Peacock
Symbolic meaning: Beauty, pride, and immortality. Associated myths: In Hinduism, the peacock is associated with the goddess Saraswati and also with the warrior god Kartikeya (Murugan).
Eagle
Symbolic meaning: Freedom, vision, and inspiration. Associated myths: Considered the bird of Zeus in Greek mythology, an emblem of strength and courage.
Owl
Symbolic meaning: Wisdom, knowledge, and mystery. Associated myths: Athena's sacred animal in Greek mythology, often seen as a guardian of the Acropolis.
Raven
Symbolic meaning: Prophecy, transformation, and creation. Associated myths: Part of Norse mythology as Odin's companions, and in Native American stories as a creator or a trickster.
Bear
Symbolic meaning: Strength, courage, and leadership. Associated myths: Seen as a powerful spirit animal in Native American culture, and associated with the warrior god Odin in Norse mythology.
Spider
Symbolic meaning: Creativity, complexity, and fate. Associated myths: Anansi in African mythology and the Greek myth of Arachne highlight the spider as a keeper of knowledge and storytelling.
Elephant
Symbolic meaning: Wisdom, memory, and strength. Associated myths: Sacred in Hinduism, prominently as the god Ganesha, and in Buddhism as a symbol of mental strength.
Swan
Symbolic meaning: Purity, beauty, and transformation. Associated myths: In Greek mythology, Zeus transformed into a swan, and the swan is a sacred bird to Apollo.
Phoenix
Symbolic meaning: Resurrection, immortality, and renewal. Associated myths: A mythical bird that is cyclically reborn from its own ashes, seen in various cultures including Greek and Egyptian mythology.
Lion
Symbolic meaning: Bravery, strength, and royalty. Associated myths: Seen in numerous cultures; for example, the Nemean Lion in Greek mythology, or as the form of the goddess Sekhmet in Egyptian mythology.
Wolf
Symbolic meaning: Loyalty, guardianship, and instinct. Associated myths: Romulus and Remus in Roman mythology were raised by a she-wolf, and Fenrir is a giant wolf in Norse mythology.
Snake
Symbolic meaning: Fertility, rebirth, and transformation. Associated myths: From the healing Rod of Asclepius in Greek mythology to the deceptive serpent in the Garden of Eden in Christian tradition.
Tiger
Symbolic meaning: Ferocity, power, and strength. Associated myths: Features as a powerful and fierce animal in various Asian mythologies and is often associated with deities or heroes.
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