Why don't they say that babies are flown in by giant eagles in the grip of their talons?
2006-12-19 19:37:06 · 8 answers · asked by k² 6 in Society & Culture ➔ Mythology & Folklore
...or by pelicans in the pouches in their mouths..
2006-12-19 19:43:14 · update #1
The stork carrying a baby wrapped in cloths is a common image in Western culture, and actually comes from Greek mythology.
The story goes that Gerana, Queen of the Pygmies, was turned into a stork by the Goddess, Hera (she's the one who gave the 12 labours to Hercules) for claiming she was more beautiful. Gerana then tried to get revenge by abducting her child, Mopsus. This is where the image of the stork bearing a child comes from.
The reason for the change in meaning, from the stork abducting a baby to the stork delivering a baby, I believe comes from the Hebrew word for stork, which literally means "kind mother" and because of the storks care for their young in their highly visable nests, they became a widespread emblem of parental care.
It has actually been noted in ancient natural history that a stork pair would rather be consumed with the nest in a fire, than fly and abandon it.
2006-12-19 20:26:10 · answer #1 · answered by DJ Rizla 3 · 22⤊ 0⤋
Also in one of the European Countries it is considered a sign of fertility if a stork nest on your roof. I wish I could remember which country it is. I wasn't paying much attention to this in my Folklore Class.
2006-12-19 22:06:00 · answer #2 · answered by kitkat1640 6 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Zeus took the form of a stork to do one of the Goddesses. Since then I guess.
2006-12-20 01:43:57 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 2⤋
Well at that time period telling the children about mom and dad having sex was a huge no no. And it was the Church's of that time period that started telling the children about the stork making deliveries............................. And that all the screaming and yelling that momma did in another room was all the storks fault....................... And with papa coming out of that room yelling about the stork delivering the wrong baby and not taking it back made it just that much more believable by the children ....................
2006-12-19 22:22:57 · answer #4 · answered by kilroymaster 7 · 0⤊ 6⤋
I believe the STORK has come as a corrupted form of the word STALK as in the solid straight part of a plant. If you then allow your imagination to move backwards then it is a reference to an erection. Therefore the stalk brought you. It is also a way of answering the youngest of children's question of Where do I come from? Especially in the past when sex was not so openly discussed.
Happy Christmas to you.
2006-12-19 19:49:10 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 5⤋
They came out of a time that even within marriage, sex wasn't talked about openly. So, in the name of purity, it was told children came from storks who had the long beaks and were able to carry them in their linen to the parents.
2006-12-19 19:39:53 · answer #6 · answered by firerookie 5 · 0⤊ 6⤋
its not quite so delicate sounding is it???!
2006-12-19 19:39:17 · answer #7 · answered by mrwurzal 3 · 2⤊ 3⤋
'Cos it's true
2006-12-19 23:05:35 · answer #8 · answered by dsoc 3 · 0⤊ 6⤋