Symbolism of Lions/Griffins (Eagles and badgers): A supersitious view.....

[sophineclaire <metal_tiara@hotmail.com>]

No: HPFGUIDX 49244

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, Barb <psychic_serpent at y...> 
wrote:
> 
>  IAmLordCassandra at a... wrote:
> 2. Snake-Council. Snape/Draco/Voldemort are all Slytherins. The 
Slytherin symbol is the serphant. It also ties in with the 
whole 'transfer to Slytherin' theme.  
>  
> Me:
> It might be worth noting that Harry has made a "friend" of sorts of 
a snake before ever arriving at Hogwarts.  When he inadvertantly 
frees the snake at the zoo,  it seems rather grateful (and Harry 
certainly seems to bear the snake no ill will, especially as it was 
probably very amusing to Harry to see how terrified of it Dudley 
was).  
>  
> I rather like the symbolism of the snake being the symbol of evil 
by dint of being the Slytherin symbol, but speaking with snakes 
(being able to communicate with evil) being a talent of Harry's.  I 
also like that we know that Snape is a good guy, since that also 
brings in the abilities/choices issue and the question of whether 
a "snake" (real or symbolic) is inherently evil or its ACTIONS that 
are good or evil.
>  

Now me: 
I have this book called "Dictionary of Superstitions" by David 
Pickering. I'm just going to put down what they say here about 
snakes::

   Superstition has always reagrded snakes with fear and respect, 
crediting them with supernatural powers. Snake cults have thrived in 
many different parts of the world  and snakes occupy and prominent, 
if not always healthy, position in many of the world's religions, 
including Christianity. Christian snake-handling sects exist in 
modern USA, practioners believing that their faith protects them from 
a venomous snake's bite.

   The idea of the snake being in some way protective is shared by 
many traditions; tattoos, for instance, often take the form of a 
snake pattern, and hanging a snakeskin from the rafters will protect 
a house from fire. Killing the first snake that a persons sees in the 
year will, meanwhile, guarantee them victory over any foes over the 
naxt twelve months. Snakes are also widely interpreted as a phallic 
symbol and are therefore strongly associated with various forms of 
sex magic.

   Superstition has chreished a number of misconceptions about 
snakes. These include the widespread beliefs that all snakes 
hypnotise their prey; that they inject venom via their forked tongue; 
that they can all spit their venom and that, according to US 
tradition, 'hoop snakes' can roll in the form of a hoop at their 
enemies by seizing their tails in their own mouth. Another popular 
idea has it that snakes cannot die until the Sun goes down.

   Seeing a snake crossing one's path is unlucky, as are dreams about 
snakes; a pregnant woman who is frightened by a snale may give birth 
to a child with a constricted neck (though it is also said that 
snakes will never bite pregnant women). Tying a snakeskin around the 
waist of a woman in labour will ease childbirth, while carrying a 
snakeskin is generally  supposed to be beneficial to health, 
effective against headaches and in extracting thorns from the skin. 
In the USA is it said that women in labour who are fed a drink made 
from the powdered rattle of a rattlesnake will have an easier time. 
Carrying a snake;s tooth will ward of fever, and one may be carried 
for luck in gambling. Other uses for snakes in folk medicine include 
an old English treatment for swollen necks, which requires a live 
snake to be drawn across the affected part three times and then 
buried alive in a bottle.

   Superstition recommends a host of animal and plant preperations 
for the treatment of snakebites. among the more bizarre is one which 
claims that rubbing crocodile blood into the bite will negate the 
effects of the poison. Another course is to tie the dead body of a 
snake around the wound. To avoid getting bitten by a snake in the 
first place the simplest course is to wear an emerald

End quote.








> While the lion (symbol of Gryffindor) traditionally was a killer of 
snakes (and griffins in particular are supposed to be the enemies of 
basilisks) I hope that JKR will eventually rise above some of the 
symbolic rhetoric she's woven into the text and show that all 
snakes/Slytherins are not destined for evil--just as we know, because 
of Peter Pettigrew, that all lions/Gryffindors are not necessarily 
good.
>  

>From the same book, only about lions:

    As the 'King of the Animals', the lion is said to be virtually 
fearles; as a result, most traditions surrounding it reflects its 
strength and regal bearing ( feeding a little lion heart to a child, 
for instance, will make it grow up healthy and courageous). only when 
faced with a gamecock, which refuses to acknowledge the lion's rank, 
will the animal betray anything like trepidation. Superstition claims 
that a lion will never kill a fellow king and the lions formerly held 
in the Tower of London were siad to be mysteriously attuned to the 
well being of the English sovereign: if one of the lions died then 
the ailing monarch's days were surely numbered. Any warrior going 
into battle dressed in a lion's skin could congratulate himself on 
the certain knowledge that no harm could befall him.

    Lionesses are said to breed every seventh year, an event that is 
marked by a larger number of stillbirhs among other species, 
including humans. Other supersitions state that lions sleep with 
their eyes open annd that lion cubs are born dead and remain so until 
their parents breathe life into them.



It seems that Snakes are actually a very helpful creature in terms of 
health and luck and Lions have more regal connections.

Since I'm on a roll, lets look at Ravens and Badgers

For badgers:   
    An ancient rustic belief from Yorkshire regions that the badger 
has longer legs on one side in order to help it to run across and up 
a slope. Elsewhere in Europe, Badgers' teeth are particularly prized 
by gamblers, who claim that carrying one on the person guartees 
success in any wager as well as bestowing good luck in general.



For Eagles ( since they are the animal for Ravenclaw, not ravens...):

     Associated with the gods of both ancient Greeks and Romans, the 
eagle has always been linked with strength, divinity and immortality. 
The ancient Egyptians, who worshipped the eagle-headed Horus, 
believed that the human soul took the form of an eagle after death. 
Christians, too, see the eagle as a symbol of resurrections. Irish 
traditions claims that Adam and Eve were turned into Eagles and live 
to this day off the coast of Galway. In Wales, the eagles of Snowdon 
were said to raise whirlwinds throughout the land by flapping their 
wings.

    Seeing several eagles flying together is said to be a sign of 
peace, but if the birds remain motionless on rocky outcrops they are 
a warning of an enemy's approach. It is widely held that eagles never 
grow old and that they renew their youth by flying so close to the 
sun that their feathers catch light and then plunges into the sea, 
from which they emerge rejuvenated. Their flesh , feathers, eggs and 
blood are consequently valued as ingredients in the witchcraft of 
many countries. The eagle is now protected by law and those who 
persist in plotting to steal an eagle's eggs (which bestow great good 
luck against witchcraft if eaten by two people) are warned that, if 
successful, they will nnever again enjoy peace of mind. Many dilike 
hearing the piercing cry of an eagle, which is taken as an omen of 
death, and likewise become nervous if they see an eagle hovering for 
a long time over a particular spot as this too is interpreted as a 
warning of immeninent demise. the heart of an eagle can be used to 
concoct an effective Aphrodisiac, while its gall bladder should be 
mixed with honey as it is a remedy for poor eyesight and its marrow 
is credited by some as having strong  powers as a contraceptive. 
Eating the still warm brains of a dead eagle is said to conjure up 
fabulous illusions.




----SophineClaire
       ( If only I was this enthusiastic about my classes.)