[Ansteorra] Dog as an animal

[Tim McDaniel]

On Sat, 17 Apr 2010, Catrin ferch Maelgwn <ladycatrin at gmail.com> wrote:
> Though they were not noted for it (to my knowledge) in the middle
> ages - I must put in a word for the much maligned and misunderstood
> goose.  The goose is a noble creature, a fierce protector of its
> family and a true example of comradeship in nature.

More or less known in the Middle Ages.  The Aberdeen Bestiary has it
on ff. 53r and 53v, <http://www.abdn.ac.uk/bestiary/translat/53r.hti>:

     The goose marks the watches of the night by its constant cry. No
     other creature picks up the scent of man as it does. It was
     because of its noise, that the Gauls were detected when they
     ascended the Capitol. Rabanus says in this context: 'The goose can
     signify men who are prudent and look out for their own safety.'

     There are two kinds of geese, domestic and wild. Wild geese fly
     high, in a an orderly fashion, signifying those who, far away from
     earthly things, preserve a rule of virtuous conduct. Domestic
     geese live together in villages, they cackle together all the time
     and rend each other with their beaks; they signify those who,
     although they like conventual life, nevertheless find time to
     gossip and slander.

     All wild geese are grey in colour; I have not seen any that were
     of mixed colour or white. But among domestic geese, there are not
     only grey but variegated and white ones. Wild geese are the colour
     of ashes, that is to say, those who keep apart from this world
     wear the modest garb of penitence. But those who live in towns or
     villages wear clothes that are more beautiful in colour.

     The goose, more than any other animal, picks up the scent of a
     someone happening by, as the discerning man knows of other men by
     their good or bad reputation, even though they live far
     away. When, therefore, a goose picks up the scent of a man
     approaching, it cackles endlessly at night, as when a discerning
     brother sees in others the negligence that comes with ignorance,
     it is his duty to call attention to it. The cackling of geese on
     the Capitol once helped the Romans, and in our chapter-house
     daily, when the discerning brother sees evidence of negligence,
     his warning voice serves to repel the old enemy, the Devil. The
     cackling of the goose saved the city of Rome from enemy attack;
     the warning voice of the discerning brother guards the life of his
     community from disruption by the wicked.

     Divine providence would not, perhaps, have revealed to us the
     characteristics of birds, if it had not wanted the knowledge to be
     of some benefit to us.

The contents are at <http://www.abdn.ac.uk/bestiary/contents.hti>.  It
has much to say on wolves, including "It cannot turn its neck
around.", and on dogs, including loyalty.  Then again, what it says
about weasels can't be repeated on a family mailing list, and
fortunately he never heard (or at least never repeated) the worst
about hyenas and hares.

Danel de Lincoln
-- 
Tim McDaniel, tmcd at panix.com