Page 3 - Talkingwiththebirds_Eng

INTRODUCTION

From the dawn of history, man has a special relationship with birds. He killed them for food, took their
eggs, domesticated them enchanted by their beauty and their song, gave them magical properties, used
them for religious symbols, etc.

The Greeks, among other nations, loved birds passionately, which we find in ancient myths and folk
traditions, songs and stories.

In ancient Greek mythology there are many transformations of people into birds, by order of Gods, for
punishment or out of pity.

But also, the Gods themselves, when presented to humans, often took the form of birds or had birds as
their emblem (the eagle for Zeus - as a symbol of power and authority - the owl for Athena - as a symbol
of wisdom. Aristotle, in three of his major works describes the life of special species of birds in detail.

During the Byzantine period the birds appear as religious symbols: the Goldfinch was the most common
species that symbolized the love for Christ, the Swallow symbolized the Resurrection, the Dove the Holy
Spirit, the pure soul. The double-headed Eagle became an emblem of royal power by the Byzantine
Emperors. And later the birds became a symbol of freedom.

Many songs, poems and stories with birds have been written through time and we have collected some
here.

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