The Folklore of Owls

#WednesdayWisdom

Do you like Owls? I love them. They sit majestically upon tree branches, barns, on top of roofs and old split rail fences. Recently, I noticed an article from audubon.org regarding a wisdom of Burrowing Owls that began to nest and plant themselves in a Florida neighborhood, Marcos Island that was most likely a natural bird sanctuary until people decided to build it up to reside there.

Some folks have kind hearts and welcomed the owls with open arms making the owls stay comfortable for them. Here is the article written on August 14th 2019 by Roger Williams called Burrowing Owls Are the Family Next door in this Florida Boom Town,

https://www.audubon.org/news/burrowing-owls-are-family-next-door-florida-boom-town#

These burrowing owls look adorable yet they are wild. One can adopt an owl on their website. Remember Owls are to be respected, please do not disturb their habitat if you come across one. Burrowing Owls feed on insects and small vermin which help keep the pest populations down thus maintaining a healthy balanced Eco-system.

Owls are mentioned in folklore around the globe.

Welsh Folklore:

The tale of Blodeuwedd meaning “Flower-Form,”she was made from meadowsweet, oak and broom. Written in the Mabinogion, a Welsh collection of medieval folk tales. Blodeuwedd, an enchanting woman was created from flowers to be a spouse to Lleu Llaw Gyffes. She was crafted by two sorcerers Gwdydion and Math to sabotage the spell of Arianrhod. Arainrhod is the mother of Lleu Llaw Gyffes whom placed a tynged or curse upon her own son that he shall never wed.

Blodeuwedd has a love affair with Gronw Pebr, Lord of Penllyn. One day, the two lovers conspire to murder Lleu. He’s a tricky one to kill and Blodeuwedd dupes Lleu into revealing that the only way to kill him is at dusk, covered by a net, his one foot on a black goat and the other on a bath near a riverbank. The tool to use is a spear that has been forged for one year during a mass that the villagers attend. Gronw quickly nabs the spear and hurls the spear at Lleu. Lieu morphs into an eagle flying away from his assassins. Later the magician Gwydion discovers Lleu in an Oak tree and encourages him to come down and he is returned to his former human self. Angered by the murder attempt on Lleu, Gwydion seeks justice by transforming Blodeuwedd into an Owl.

Gronw meets his end by a well placed spear by Lleu.

Cornish Folklore:

In 1976, the Cornish Owlman of Mawnan was sited by two girls June and Vicky Melling in the village of Mawnan, Cornwall, UK. Later other sightings were reported in 1978, 1979, 1989, and 1995. In the year 2000, a shrill loud owl like sound was heard during the night at the Mullion Church yard.

Celtic Folklore:

Cailleach is a crone, Storm goddess, Breira Queen of Winter. Scotland Cailleach has a connection to owls in Gaelic cailleach-oidhche

Greek & Roman Folklore:

Athena a pure goddess of wisdom and war who was accompanied by a small owl. Over time, Athena merged into Minerva of Roman mythology. Athena an owl goddess was known for her grey wise eyes and manifests on the battlefield as an owl during Greece’s war with Persia. Athena is a goddess of crafts, Minerva known as a healer. Athena’s symbols are owls, pomegranates and snakes that connect spheres of life and death.

Below: The owl of Athena, surrounded by an olive wreath. (Reverse of an Athenian silver tetradrachm,) c. 175 BC Public Domain.

Athena is a goddess of crafts, Minerva known as a healer. Athena’s symbols are owls, pomegranates and snakes that connect spheres of life and death.

North American Indigenous People: The Hopi have Owl clans one such clan is called Burrowing Owl Clan, Kokop-wungwa or Kokongyam. The great Horned Owl is named Mongwu a lawman that plays his role in their tales. Some indigenous tribes see the Owl as a harbinger of death.

Art below by John James Audubon (1785-1851) Public Domain

Source & References:

• Parker, Will. The Four Branches of Mabinogi
• Tony Deane; Tony Shaw, Folklore of Cornwall. History Press ISBN 978-0-7509-5652-9
• Deacy Susan J Villing Alexandra 2001. Athena in the Classical World, ISBN 979-9004121423
• Cartwright Mark, “Minerva” Ancient History Encyclopedia
• Monaghan, Patricia. The Encyclopedia of Celtic Mythology and Folklore. Infobase Publishing, 2004.
• http://www.native-languages.org/legends-owl.htm online.
• Featured Owl in Public Domain Wiki Commons