Bird Gods in Ancient Europe 



But the shocking form of religion evolved by 

 the wickedness of the Middle Ages allowed the 

 destruction and torture of hapless birds and 

 beasts without remorse and with scarcely a 

 rebuke. 



In the island of Lesbos there existed a 



legend like that of Lot and his daughters, 



^^>^f^ come down to us through 



I^^^^KB^^L ^^^^^ sources, in which 



^^0^^tfhM^ was her father Opopeus 

 ^'^S^^'^ with whom she sinned. 

 On learning what she had done, she fled to the 

 woods, where Pallas Athene took pity on her 

 and turned her into an owl. In Welsh legend 

 Blodeued the wife of Llew is turned by 

 Gwydion into an owl, because she betrayed 

 her husband to death. Pallas is thoroughly 

 mixed up with this bird, as we shall see; it 

 was no mere chance that gave her the owl. 

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