Christmas Connections: Part 7 of 12
Seven swans have long been a motif of folktales. In some stories they are seven maidens, relatives of valkyries or angels or the faerie and otherwise unattainable by mortal men. In some stories they are humans under a curse, and in yet others they are not only human but male — princes who need to be saved by their sister.
Seven swans a-swimming? What else might they do? Well, swans were and are, like most of the previous six birds, prized for their meat. Huge and graceful birds with a limited sense of self-preservation, in the UK they are now under the crown's protection.
A full-grown swan is a cygnus; a small one is a cygnet. They are often confused with seven signs, seven sacraments, or seven gifts of the Spirit. The problem, of course, is that signs, sacraments and gifts of the Spirit are all variable in number.
=====
"On the seventh day of Christmas, my true love sent to me seven swans a-swimming."
Seven swans a-swimming? What else might they do? Well, swans were and are, like most of the previous six birds, prized for their meat. Huge and graceful birds with a limited sense of self-preservation, in the UK they are now under the crown's protection.
A full-grown swan is a cygnus; a small one is a cygnet. They are often confused with seven signs, seven sacraments, or seven gifts of the Spirit. The problem, of course, is that signs, sacraments and gifts of the Spirit are all variable in number.
=====
"On the seventh day of Christmas, my true love sent to me seven swans a-swimming."
etched with acid at 9:59:00 am
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home