Animal Transformations, and the Annual Fish Hanging

[debka_notion]

Dave and I were talking, and he compared me to a bunny. (Not a rabbit, a bunny- I wonder if that's significant.) I responded that he was more like a labrador retriever puppy himself. But it brought to mind the way that people so often compare others to animals- it's a common theme/game in plenty of stories that I've read. And it must be related to the way that so many myths/folktales/legends/fantasy stories involve people transformed into animals either as a punishment or occasionally as a reward or comfort. THere's the frog-prince, Patricia C. Wrede's dragon who turns into a toad as a result of his un-dragonlike behavior, Elizabeth Scarborough's prince turned into a bear by magic, the magician whose magic is the ability to assume different animal forms (in Nix's Lirael, several short stories whose names I can't remember at hte moment...), Arachne is turned into a spider...

And of course, the entire category of semi-human, semi-animal creatures: the selkie, centaur, heck, the two women who carry off the ephah in the passage in Zechariah (5:5-11) that I'm writing a paper on. Part human-part animal creatures were also commonly used supernatural beings in much of hte ancient near east, and they're certainly also used in Hindu mythology.

Now that I think of it, I'm not sure if animal transformations are any more common than others, there's also Narcissus who's turned to a flower (I think- not sure if I remember that one quite right), Patricia C. Wrede's room full of princes/heros turned to stone, Lot's wife is turned to salt, there's that young woman in Greek mythology (whose name slips my mind at the moment) who turns herself into a tree...

I'm not exactly sure where I"m going with all this, besides that we seem to have a desire to compare ourselves and others with animals, etc, and I'm not sure why. Perhaps as a method of analysis and explanation, or simplification of traits so we can feel like we understand them (is this really any different?)...

Nevertheless, I have the occasional temptation to go through and decide what animals my friends are like. Or to wonder what animal they think I'm like. Beware what may happen sometime when I'm bored. Speaking of which, Saturday night at a time TBA will be my now annual paper fish hanging, from one of the trees along the main path of campus. Those of you local and interested, the time will be on my away message Saturday night, and if you want to bring extra string/tape/paper fish/scizzors (although I will provide all of the above, at least as long as I can find my tape), that is also welcome.

Comments

[shirei-shibolim.livejournal.com]

Merry Fishmas!

[debka-notion.livejournal.com]

*sproing* Same to you, if at a distance.

[tovaks.livejournal.com]

And let's not forget Shakespeare's Caliban in *The Tempest,* whose name is obviously likened to the word "cannibal," about whom Trinculo says,
"What have we here? a man or a fish? dead or alive? A fish: he smells like a fish; a very ancient and fish- like smell; a kind of not of the newest Poor- John. A strange fish! Were I in England now, as once I was, and had but this fish painted, not a holiday fool there but would give a piece of silver: there would this monster make a man; any strange beast there makes a man: when they will not give a doit to relieve a lame beggar, they will lazy out ten to see a dead Indian. Legged like a man and his fins like arms! Warm o' my troth! I do now let loose my opinion; hold it no longer: this is no fish, but an islander, that hath lately suffered by a thunderbolt." --II, i