Mythology Question

[WARNINGWARNING]

Read the post above. I haven't even gotten to the Inca and Mayan Myths. The would be Tetsquattle and others.

Odd how suddenly your rant changed and Des is looking for ALL possible Mythological references after dissing me for giving him references you didn't think of.

I didn't think of them because I didn't know them. Nor did you,if you would admit it. I have googled those as well.

I sited my source. A book I had here.

Also, Now that Des has made it clear about the TATTOO, it seems that the Greek mythology (no bird), and the Christian symbolism (no bird) are less applicable, eh?

I only playfully inquired about the lack of fire, you started to get testy.


obviously she (and I) could go on ad nauseum,. Probably have accomplished that. So, I will allow her the last word/post.

GRRRR... EXCEPT, Jenny was also being "incomplete", as she is now FINDING other stores of knowledge.

 

[Jenny_Jackson]

I didn't think of them because I didn't know them. Nor did you,if you would admit it. I have googled those as well.

I sited my source. A book I had here.

Also, Now that Des had mad eit clear about the TATTOO, it seems that the Greek mythology (no bird), and the Christian symbolism (no bird) are less applicable, eh?

I only playfully inquired about the lack offire, you started to get testy.

And Nekhbet from the Egyptian Mythology is also a Bird commonly depicted with outstretched wings. The Wings coving Tutankhaumen's inner coffins were his wings, in fact.

Need a reference? Try "Tutankhamen" by Christine Desroches-Nobelcourt published by Doub Day, 1965 or "The Last Journey" by William MacQuitty, Published by Crown Publishers, Inc., 1978. They both show photographs and outline exactly what I just posted.

And I wasn't being "testy". Your remark was rude and uncalled for. I don't care what YOU posted. It was incomplete. And, frankly, an attempt to hijack this thread.

 

[FallingToFly]

There are several different mythologies which deal with firebirds of various types and different design. MOST are a symbol of rebirth (although a few are vengance oriented, I believe).

Try Chinese Mythology (I'll see what I can glean from the manchild's cache of Chinese teachings), Egyptian, as was pointed out, Greek/Roman (they generally run fairly close), and Native American.

There was also the Quetzacoatl, (spelling is probably VERY incorrect) which was the Rainbow Serpent, also common to the Australian Aboriginal peoples, and a dozen or more different variants of mystical birds of sun, fire, storm, etc, etc.

I'll see what I can pull up, if you don't have any luck.

 

[S-Des]

There are several different mythologies which deal with firebirds of various types and different design. MOST are a symbol of rebirth (although a few are vengance oriented, I believe).

Try Chinese Mythology (I'll see what I can glean from the manchild's cache of Chinese teachings), Egyptian, as was pointed out, Greek/Roman (they generally run fairly close), and Native American.

There was also the Quetzacoatl, (spelling is probably VERY incorrect) which was the Rainbow Serpent, also common to the Australian Aboriginal peoples, and a dozen or more different variants of mystical birds of sun, fire, storm, etc, etc.

I'll see what I can pull up, if you don't have any luck.

I appreciate any help Falling. It's not crucial to the story, but since it's a real person (and she was clear that it was a Phoenix), I want to stay with that. Besides, most people haven't heard of the offshoots of the mythological bird, but if you say The Phoenix, most people will nod their heads in understanding. You don't need to do research on this, I was just hoping to find someone who had seen it mentioned in a book to save some time. I've only seen it in movies, never found a mention in a book, but figured there had to be one somewhere.

 

[Jenny_Jackson]

There are several different mythologies which deal with firebirds of various types and different design. MOST are a symbol of rebirth (although a few are vengance oriented, I believe).

Try Chinese Mythology (I'll see what I can glean from the manchild's cache of Chinese teachings), Egyptian, as was pointed out, Greek/Roman (they generally run fairly close), and Native American.

There was also the Quetzacoatl, (spelling is probably VERY incorrect) which was the Rainbow Serpent, also common to the Australian Aboriginal peoples, and a dozen or more different variants of mystical birds of sun, fire, storm, etc, etc.

I'll see what I can pull up, if you don't have any luck.

I'm wondering if the tatoo isn't from the Hispanic rather than Egyptian Mythology. I've seen more of those in the past few years. Most people don't even know of the six or seven mythical bird forms I can think of from the Egyptian myths.

Remember, Mexico's flag even shows an eagle holding a snake from an early Spanish story. I've heard that bird refered too as the Phoenix too.

 

[FallingToFly]

I appreciate any help Falling. It's not crucial to the story, but since it's a real person (and she was clear that it was a Phoenix), I want to stay with that. Besides, most people haven't heard of the offshoots of the mythological bird, but if you say The Phoenix, most people will nod their heads in understanding. You don't need to do research on this, I was just hoping to find someone who had seen it mentioned in a book to save some time. I've only seen it in movies, never found a mention in a book, but figured there had to be one somewhere.

Jesus... look up Andrew Lang's Fairy Book series.

The damn bird is a legend- you can find it EVERYWHERE.

 

[S-Des]

Jesus... look up Andrew Lang's Fairy Book series.

The damn bird is a legend- you can find it EVERYWHERE.

LOL, I put Andrew Lang & Phoenix into Google and found about 100 references to a basketball player for the suns. The Lang books wouldn't be applicable because they are children's books (not exactly something an adult would read and cause them to change their life).

Thanks for the suggestions everyone. I'll figure the rest out from here.

 

[kendo1]

A reply at last! It took me a wee while to copy it from my book(one finger typing!)

From
Dictionary of Classical Mythology, Grimal
Page 369

Phoenix
1. A fabulous bird whose legend is connected with sun worship in Egypt. Herodotus was the first writer to talk about the phoenix and, following him, poets, mythographers, astrologers and natural historians all gave details about the bird. It was generally accepted that the phoenix came from Ethiopia. It lived there for a period, assessed by some versions as 500 years and by others as 1461 or even 12954 years. It was supposed to look more or less like an eagle, but was of considerable size. Its plumage was adorned with brilliant colouring: scarlet, blue, purple and gold. The authours differ over the distribution of these colours on the bird’s body but all assert that the phoenix was infinitely more beautiful than the most splendid of peacocks.
The legend of the phoenix is principally concerned with the bird’s death and rebirth. It was the only example of its species which could not reproduce normally. When the phoenix felt its death impending it collected aromatic plants, incense and amomum(a balsam plant) and made a nest. At this point mythographers divide into two distinct traditions: according to one tradition, the bird set fire to this sweet-scented pyre and a new phoenix rose from the ashes; the other tradition claims that the phoenix settled upon the nest it had made and impregnated it as it died. The new phoenix was then born, gathered up its progenitor’s body and after wrapping it in a hollow myrrh log, took it to the city of Heliopolis in southern Egypt where it laid the body down on the altar of the Sun. It was then solemnly burned by the priests. This was the only moment when the phoenix came to Egypt. It was said to come with the escort of other birds and once it had arrived at the altar of the Sun, the phoenix circled around for a moment, waiting for a priest to appear. At the appropriate moment a priest came out of the temple and compared the appearance of the bird with a drawing of it in the sacred books. Then the body of the former phoenix was burned and when the ceremony was over, the young bird returned to Etiopia, where it lived on incense until its lifespan was completed. The astrologers connected this lifespan with the theory of the ‘Great Year’, or one complete cycle of the stars. The birth of a phoenix was supposed to mark the beginning of such a year. During the reign of the Emperor Claudius, a phoenix said to have been caught in Egypt was brought to Rome. Claudius put it on public exhibition, but nobody seriously accepted that it was really a phoenix.

Does this help?

 

[Weird Harold]

Now I just need to find a decent explanation for how the character came across the story and how it could have caught her fascination.

Again, the children's book, David and the Phoenix is the source you need. It's been in and out of print since the 1940's, It is faithful to the Egyptian legend, it's a book that makes an lasting impression, and it is a plausible trigger for someone to explore the mythology of the Phoenix further.

 

[S-Des]

Again, the children's book, David and the Phoenix is the source you need. It's been in and out of print since the 1940's, It is faithful to the Egyptian legend, it's a book that makes an lasting impression, and it is a plausible trigger for someone to explore the mythology of the Phoenix further.

Thanks guys, both are helpful. It's hard to explain what I need without giving away aspects of the story, but they are very good suggestions and could work. Thank you.

 

[S-Des]

A reply at last! It took me a wee while to copy it from my book(one finger typing!)



Does this help?

Thanks Kendo, you didn't have to do that. But I appreciate it.

 

[Weird Harold]

The Lang books wouldn't be applicable because they are children's books (not exactly something an adult would read and cause them to change their life).

Children's books can have a very powerful effect on a person's life -- even adults who come to a particular story late. Are you even sure that she acquired her reverence for the Phoenix as an adult?

 

[kendo1]

Maybe she read Harry Potter?

 

[Weird Harold]

Maybe she read Harry Potter?

I have a little trouble picturing Fawkes as a character to inspire a near-religious epiphany. Besides, Harry Potter is a "Children's Book" and no self-respecting adult would be caught reading that.

Unless of course they're in their second childhood like me.

 

[S-Des]

I have a little trouble picturing Fawkes as a character to inspire a near-religious epiphany. Besides, Harry Potter is a "Children's Book" and no self-respecting adult would be caught reading that.

Unless of course they're in their second childhood like me.

So since I own all the DVDs, what does that make me?

 

[kendo1]

So since I own all the DVDs, what does that make me?

A father?

 

[Weird Harold]

A father?

Or a grandfather -- I have duplicates of the DVDs I bought the Granddaughters just to entertain them when they come to visit. Really. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

It's the same reason I have DVDs of both Princess Diaries and Ella Enchanted -- lusting after Anne Hathaway has absolutely nothing to do with it, I swear.