Zoological Mythology; or, The Legends of Animals, Volume 2 (of 2)

Metadata

Gutenberg ID

38688

Title

Zoological Mythology; or, The Legends of Animals, Volume 2 (of 2)

Language

en

Book source

Project Gutenberg

Description max 80 words

Angelo De Gubernatis explores the symbolic roles of animals in global mythology, focusing on the hog, wild boar, and hedgehog as disguises for solar heroes and demons. This volume examines legends from Vedic hymns, Greek myths, and folktales, revealing how creatures represent cosmic forces, transformation, and moral lessons.

Summary up to 500 words

In *Zoological Mythology; or, The Legends of Animals, Volume 2*, Professor Angelo De Gubernatis explores the profound mythological significance of terrestrial creatures, focusing particularly on the hog, wild boar, and hedgehog. De Gubernatis argues that these animals frequently serve as disguises for the solar hero. As the sun transitions from day to night, the radiant hero adopts monstrous, dark forms to hide from persecutors or to destroy enemies within the realm of darkness. Drawing extensively from Vedic scriptures like the Rigveda, Greek epics involving Hercules and Meleager, and folktales from India, Persia, and Europe, the author deciphers how the wild boar symbolizes both destructive power and divine penetration. The text weaves together narratives of persecuted maidens disguised as hogs, the transformation of heroes into beasts, and the complex associations of these animals with fertility, lust, and death. De Gubernatis analyzes the hedgehog's defensive quills as symbols of protection and the duality of animals that are simultaneously sacred and demoniacal. Through a comparative lens, the book connects disparate cultural traditions, illustrating a universal human tendency to project cosmic struggles onto the natural world. The work concludes by suggesting that understanding these animal myths provides insight into the ancient human psyche's relationship with nature, darkness, and the divine. Specifically, the hog represents the solar hero in a dark guise, often assumed to escape persecution or due to a divine malediction. This form is sometimes a demoniacal disguise, as noted in the Edda, or a representation of the demon himself. When the solar hero enters the evening, his handsome youth form disappears, replaced by an uglier, monstrous one. The text details Vedic myths where maidens like Apalā and Ghoshā are cured of deformity or granted husbands by gods like Indra, often involving the removal of a 'hog's skin' or the aid of bristles. Similarly, the wild boar is linked to the god Vishnu, whose name implies 'penetrator,' referencing the sharp tusks that burst through clouds and darkness like thunderbolts. The volume further examines the hedgehog's quills as a comb and dense forest, and notes the animal's role as a presage of water. Ultimately, De Gubernatis presents a rich tapestry where the behavior and appearance of common animals reveal deep archetypal truths about the struggle between light and dark, order and chaos, that underpin human mythology.

LLM editorial rating

4.2/5

Download URL

https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/38688.epub.noimages

Local file path

data/epubs/pg38688.epub

Download EPUB

Downloaded at

2026-07-07 14:53 UTC

Categories

• Folklore
• Mythology
• Animals