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

A sweeping survey of animal folklore, this volume gathers myths from Europe, the Near East, India and beyond, arranging them into three natural realms—earth, air and water. The author treats each creature as a cultural mirror, showing how societies personified beasts to explain the cycles of nature, the whims of gods and the trials of heroes. Readers travel from ancient Vedic hymns to Norse poetry, discovering a tangled web of stories that link the ordinary to the divine.

In the earth section, familiar creatures such as the hog, wild boar and hedgehog take on surprising roles as disguises of the solar hero, embodying night, illness or demonic power. Tales of leprous maidens, moon‑in‑the‑well rituals and heroic transformations reveal how the sun’s journey was imagined through animal forms. The narrative weaves scholarly insight with vivid storytelling, inviting listeners to rethink the humble beasts that roam our fields and forests.