Bird Gods in Ancient Europe 



As they hear the minstrel playing. 

 Hear the harp of Wainamoinen, 

 Quick they drop their combs of silver. 

 Drop the spindles from their fingers 

 And the golden threads are broken. 

 Broken are the threads of silver. 



{Kalevala, Rtme XLI, Crawford's translation.) 



Here we find the origin of Pallas Athene's 

 prowess in weaving. And while we note that 

 in process of time she became the wisest and 

 most sedate of goddesses, her earlier career 

 was checkered with a number of contests with 

 other gods, notably with Poseidon for the pos- 

 session of Attika, but also with Ares, Hera, 

 Arachne and Aphrodite. In fact she was even 

 more than a shrew; she was a virago. This 

 suits well the character of the owl, which is 

 forever stirring the anger of other birds — 

 forever in hot water — and yet, by observing 

 a reserved and prudent conduct, manages 

 to live its life in philosophic repose. The 

 " mother of ruins " as it is called in Syria 

 seems not only to have given its commonest 

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