Bird Gods in Ancient Europe 



and myths has ever been pointed out before ; 

 bird gods seem to have attracted little atten- 

 tion ; but the truth of that provenance can, I 

 believe, be substantiated from the mythology 

 and legends of Greece and Rome in the light 

 of those of Ireland and Scotland, Wales, Nor- 

 way, Finland, Prussia, Esthonia and Russia, 

 — countries where the old traits have received 

 less rubbing, the old tints a thinner varnish of 

 late colors, than is the case with countries like 

 France and Germany, Holland and Belgium. 



The Kalevala of the Finns, fitted together 

 into an epic by Elias Lonnrot, the epic that 

 gave Longfellow his impulse for " Hiawatha," 

 is crammed with remnants of old bird-lore — 

 divine bird-lore, once common to Europe and 

 Asia. With their connections by language to 

 Esths, Lapps, Samoyeds, Turks, Hungarians, 

 Etruscans and the ancient peoples of the 

 Euphrates, the Finns seem the most poetical 

 survivors of a race that once covered the face 

 of Europe, before the Kelts grew numerous 



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