Who could manage to get itself so tangled up in myths and legends, about the humble cat.
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Showing posts with label cat myths. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cat myths. Show all posts
Sunday
Cat in Myths
Who could manage to get itself so tangled up in myths and legends, about the humble cat.
Cat in India Myths
Indian legend tells of a man who sent his cat, Patripatan, to go to a heavenly realm in order to retrieve a special flower. In India, too, the cat is recognised as a magical bringer of luck and there is the legend of the famous Patripatan.
This cat was so cunning and so softly insidious that when he once climbed into the land of Devendiren in the sky in order to plead his master’s cause, he became the friend of the all-powerful king of the gods and the beloved confidant of the most beautiful of the goddesses. He did so much and so well that for three hundred years he forgot to come down again to the earth. And while the prince and the inhabitants of the kingdom of Salangham awaited his return, not a person aged by a single hour during all the hours and days and years that passed. At last Patripatan returned. In his white paws he brought a complete and heavy branch of that rarest talisman-flower of Parasidam, in full flower. And from that day there was nothing but gentleness and beauty in that kingdom. Also the Hindu goddess of birth, Shosti, rides astride a cat.
Cat in Japan Myths
The Maneki Neko, literally "Beckoning Cat"; also known as Welcoming Cat or Lucky Cat or Money cat or Fortune Cat is a common Japanese sculpture, often made of porcelain or ceramic, which is believed to bring good luck to the owner. The sculpture depicts a cat (traditionally a Japanese Bobtail) beckoning with an upright paw, and is usually displayed—many times at the entrance—in shops, restaurants, pachinko parlors, and other businesses. A raised right paw supposedly attracts money, while a raised left paw attracts customers.
Cat in Europe Myths
During the Middle Ages, however, superstitions flourished. In Europe the cat was associated with the Devil, evil and witchcraft, and hundreds of thousands of cats were killed out of this fear. The destruction of so many cats upset the balance of the rodent population contributing greatly to the spread of a form of the bubonic plague called "black death", in which the deadly disease is transmitted to people by rat fleas. Almost one fourth of the entire population in Europe in the 1300's were killed by this plague; in some parts of France, only one-tenth of the population survived.
Cat in Scandinavian Myths
Freyja's horse-sized winged cats, who draw the Norse goddess's chariot. Vikings used cats as rat catchers and companions and are sometimes credited with the domestication of the Norwegian Forest Cat, or "Skogkatt". Freyja, the Viking goddess of love, fertility and war, was strongly associated with cats, as they were considered her sacred animals. She was often portrayed in a chariot drawn by two horse-sized winged cats. Kittens were given in her name to new brides, linking together Freya's influence over cats, romance and fertility.
Cat in Roman Myths
The cat was the animal of Libera, the Roman mythological personification of Liberty, because it hates to be constrained. In Greek mythology, the goddess of the moon is Selene, the sister of Helios, god of the son. The "Sea of Serenity" is derived from Selene's name, which in turn is where Queen and Princess Serenity get their names. In Latin, "Selene" is Luna, which is obviously where Luna the cat gets her name from.
However, the goddess of the hunt, Artemis, is often confused with Selene, so Artemis sometimes is called the goddess of the moon, too. In Roman mythology, Artemis is called Diana. The two cats, Artemis and Diana, get their names from these alternate interpretations.
However, the goddess of the hunt, Artemis, is often confused with Selene, so Artemis sometimes is called the goddess of the moon, too. In Roman mythology, Artemis is called Diana. The two cats, Artemis and Diana, get their names from these alternate interpretations.
Cat in Scotish/Irish Myths
The Cat Sìth or Cat Sídhe is a fairy creature from Scottish and Irish mythology, said to resemble a large black cat with a white spot on its breast. Legend has it that the spectral cat haunts the Scottish Highlands. Some common folklore suggested that the Cait Sìth was not a fairy, but a transformed witch. The myths surrounding this creature are more common in Scottish Folklore, but a few myths originate in Irish folklore as well.
As proposed by British cryptozoologist Dr. Karl Shuker, in his book Mystery Cats of the World (1989), it is possible that the legends of the Cat Sìth were inspired by Kellas Cats, which are probably a distinctive hybrid between European Wildcats and domestic cats only found in Scotland (the European Wildcat is absent from elsewhere in the British Isles). Typical Kellas Cats resemble large black wildcats, but with some peculiar features closer to domestic cats, and have probably been present in Scotland for centuries, maybe even some 2 millennia or more.
Cat in Egypt myths
In Egyptian mythology, Bastet (also spelled Bast, Baset, Ubasti, and Pasht) is an ancient solar and war goddess, worshipped at least since the Second Dynasty. The centre of her cult was in Per-Bast (Bubastis in Greek), which was named after her. Originally she was viewed as the protector goddess of Lower Egypt, and consequently depicted as a fierce lioness. Indeed, her name means (female) devourer. As protector, she was seen as defender of the pharaoh, and consequently of the later chief male deity, Ra, who was a solar deity also, gaining her the titles Lady of Flame and Eye of Ra.
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