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A few weeks ago I had a dream about a bird I've never seen before with my physical eyes. It was a majestic blue bird and in the dream I named it a Blue Egret. Like I said, before that dream I've never seen one of them, at least not consciously.
The next morning I spent quite a bit of time looking for information on such a bird using the words 'blue egret' and I found some pictures that showed me exactly what I saw in my dream: a Great Blue Heron.
Herons are not to be confused with cranes (61.2). They look somewhat alike but are from two different bird families.
I seldom remember my dreams but this one stuck in my mind because it was something I've never seen before and I appeared, in the dream, to know quite a bit about it.
I also searched to see if I could find some old legends related to blue herons. There are many and it is also associated with some very interesting symbolisms around the world:
<BLOCKQUOTE><HR SIZE=0><!-Quote-!><FONT SIZE=1>Quote:</FONT>
Herons share much of the same symbolism as storks, cranes, and other wading birds. To some, the appearance of a heron is a good omen, but to others, it warns of fire and drought. Since this bird is sacred to the Greek sea-god Poseidon, it is an emblem of Atlantis, the lost island paradise thought to be populated by his children. Herons are fabled to be the enemies of eagles and the friends of crows. In Japan and China a heron and a crow may be pictured together as a symbol of the yin-yang.
This bird's long "nosy" beak makes it a symbol of curiosity, nosiness, and busybodies. However, when pictured with a white stone in its beak, the heron is an image of discretion, and the wisdom obtained through the Christian practice of silence. Like the crane, the heron's habit of standing on one leg earns it a reputation for contemplation, vigilance, divine or occult wisdom, and inner quietness. Athena, the Greek goddess of wisdom, employed a heron as one of her divine messengers. Native American legends tell of wise men who, having died, visited the earth in the bodies of herons.<!-/Quote-!><HR SIZE=0></BLOCKQUOTE>
One legend I found that I really liked is an old Native American tale about how sweet words do not veil bad intentions.
<BLOCKQUOTE><HR SIZE=0><!-Quote-!><FONT SIZE=1>Quote:</FONT>
Wabanaki - Honeyed Words Cannot Make Evil Sweet
Big Blue Heron was standing in the marsh looking at his reflection in the water. He raised his black-crested head to listen. Two little White Weasels had come along to the river. They were mother and son. When they saw Blue Heron, they stopped to look. "What a beautiful big bird-person!" said the son. "He is called Blue Heron. He carries his head high!"
"Yes, Mother, he is tall as a tree. Were I so tall, I could carry you across this swift river." Blue Heron was pleased to hear himself so praised. He liked to hear other say that he was big. He bent down low and spoke to the two. "I will help you go across. Come down to where you see that old tree lying in the stream. I will lie down in the water at the end and put my bill deep into the bank on the other side. You two run across the tree. Then use my body as a bridge and you will get to the other side."
They all went to the old tree lying in the water. Blue Heron lay down in the water at the end and stuck his bill deep into the bank on the other side. Mother and son White Weasel ran lightly and quickly across the log, over Blue Heron, and were safe and dry on the other side. They thanked Blue Heron and said they would tell all the persons in the woods how fine Blue Heron was. Then they went on their way.
Old Wolf had been standing on the riverbank watching how the weasels had gotten across. "What a fine way it would be for me to cross the river. I am old and my bones ache."
When Blue Heron came back to the marsh, Wolf said to him, "Now I know why you Blue Herons are in the marsh - so you can be a bridge for persons to cross the rive. I want to go across, but I am old and my bones hurt. Lie down in the water for me so I can cross."
Blue Heron was angry. He didn't like being called a bridge. Old Wolf saw he had spoken foolish words and decided to use honeyed words. "You are big and strong, Blue Heron, and that is why you body is such a fine bridge. You could carry me across like a feather."
Blue Heron smiled at Wolf and said, "Old Wolf, get on my back and I'll carry you across." Wolf grinned from ear to ear thinking how easily he had tricked Blue Heron. He jumped on the bird's back and Heron went into the rushing river. When he got to the middle, he stopped. "Friend Wolf," said Blue Heron, "you made a mistake. I am not strong enough to carry you across. For that you need two herons. I can carry you only halfway. Now you must get another heron to carry you the rest of the way." He gave his body a strong twist and Wolf fell into the water.
"You wait here, Wolf, for another heron to come and carry you to the other side." Then he flew into the marsh. The water ran swiftly. No heron came, so where did Wolf go? To the bottom of the river ...and since that day, no wolf has ever trusted a heron.<!-/Quote-!><HR SIZE=0></BLOCKQUOTE>
No heron is ever mentioned in the Yi, but, for some reason, this legend reminds me of the young fox of Hex 64...
Luis
The next morning I spent quite a bit of time looking for information on such a bird using the words 'blue egret' and I found some pictures that showed me exactly what I saw in my dream: a Great Blue Heron.
Herons are not to be confused with cranes (61.2). They look somewhat alike but are from two different bird families.
I seldom remember my dreams but this one stuck in my mind because it was something I've never seen before and I appeared, in the dream, to know quite a bit about it.
I also searched to see if I could find some old legends related to blue herons. There are many and it is also associated with some very interesting symbolisms around the world:
<BLOCKQUOTE><HR SIZE=0><!-Quote-!><FONT SIZE=1>Quote:</FONT>
Herons share much of the same symbolism as storks, cranes, and other wading birds. To some, the appearance of a heron is a good omen, but to others, it warns of fire and drought. Since this bird is sacred to the Greek sea-god Poseidon, it is an emblem of Atlantis, the lost island paradise thought to be populated by his children. Herons are fabled to be the enemies of eagles and the friends of crows. In Japan and China a heron and a crow may be pictured together as a symbol of the yin-yang.
This bird's long "nosy" beak makes it a symbol of curiosity, nosiness, and busybodies. However, when pictured with a white stone in its beak, the heron is an image of discretion, and the wisdom obtained through the Christian practice of silence. Like the crane, the heron's habit of standing on one leg earns it a reputation for contemplation, vigilance, divine or occult wisdom, and inner quietness. Athena, the Greek goddess of wisdom, employed a heron as one of her divine messengers. Native American legends tell of wise men who, having died, visited the earth in the bodies of herons.<!-/Quote-!><HR SIZE=0></BLOCKQUOTE>
One legend I found that I really liked is an old Native American tale about how sweet words do not veil bad intentions.
<BLOCKQUOTE><HR SIZE=0><!-Quote-!><FONT SIZE=1>Quote:</FONT>
Wabanaki - Honeyed Words Cannot Make Evil Sweet
Big Blue Heron was standing in the marsh looking at his reflection in the water. He raised his black-crested head to listen. Two little White Weasels had come along to the river. They were mother and son. When they saw Blue Heron, they stopped to look. "What a beautiful big bird-person!" said the son. "He is called Blue Heron. He carries his head high!"
"Yes, Mother, he is tall as a tree. Were I so tall, I could carry you across this swift river." Blue Heron was pleased to hear himself so praised. He liked to hear other say that he was big. He bent down low and spoke to the two. "I will help you go across. Come down to where you see that old tree lying in the stream. I will lie down in the water at the end and put my bill deep into the bank on the other side. You two run across the tree. Then use my body as a bridge and you will get to the other side."
They all went to the old tree lying in the water. Blue Heron lay down in the water at the end and stuck his bill deep into the bank on the other side. Mother and son White Weasel ran lightly and quickly across the log, over Blue Heron, and were safe and dry on the other side. They thanked Blue Heron and said they would tell all the persons in the woods how fine Blue Heron was. Then they went on their way.
Old Wolf had been standing on the riverbank watching how the weasels had gotten across. "What a fine way it would be for me to cross the river. I am old and my bones ache."
When Blue Heron came back to the marsh, Wolf said to him, "Now I know why you Blue Herons are in the marsh - so you can be a bridge for persons to cross the rive. I want to go across, but I am old and my bones hurt. Lie down in the water for me so I can cross."
Blue Heron was angry. He didn't like being called a bridge. Old Wolf saw he had spoken foolish words and decided to use honeyed words. "You are big and strong, Blue Heron, and that is why you body is such a fine bridge. You could carry me across like a feather."
Blue Heron smiled at Wolf and said, "Old Wolf, get on my back and I'll carry you across." Wolf grinned from ear to ear thinking how easily he had tricked Blue Heron. He jumped on the bird's back and Heron went into the rushing river. When he got to the middle, he stopped. "Friend Wolf," said Blue Heron, "you made a mistake. I am not strong enough to carry you across. For that you need two herons. I can carry you only halfway. Now you must get another heron to carry you the rest of the way." He gave his body a strong twist and Wolf fell into the water.
"You wait here, Wolf, for another heron to come and carry you to the other side." Then he flew into the marsh. The water ran swiftly. No heron came, so where did Wolf go? To the bottom of the river ...and since that day, no wolf has ever trusted a heron.<!-/Quote-!><HR SIZE=0></BLOCKQUOTE>
No heron is ever mentioned in the Yi, but, for some reason, this legend reminds me of the young fox of Hex 64...
Luis