Mythology, folklore, and sacred legends

The Old English Physiologus

by Albert Albert Stanburrough Cook (Translator), Cynewulf & James Hall Pitman (Translator)

First published: Date unknown
Languages: ANG, English

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Description

Description from Project Gutenberg

"The Old English Physiologus" by Cynewulf is a collection of three poetic writings likely composed during the early medieval period. This work serves as a bestiary, offering moral and religious lessons derived from various creatures. Unlike typical bestiaries that include numerous animals, this text focuses on specific allegorical interpretations of a panther, a sea monster (asp-turtle), and a partridge, reflective of the era's fascination with nature's symbolism. The content revolves around the unique characteristics and lessons associated with each of the chosen animals. The panther, depicted as kind and enchanting, symbolizes Christ, with its beauty representing divine glory and the fragrance of redemption that draws followers to God. The asp-turtle, likened to a deceptive fiend, warns against the perils of temptation and the treachery of evil that ensnares the unwary. Lastly, the partridge serves as a metaphor for the soul's journey; just as the partridge raises chicks from stolen eggs, the narrative conveys a message about reclaiming one's true divine parentage. Each creature's portrayal not only engages the reader's imagination but also invites reflection on deeper spiritual truths embodied in the narratives. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

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Included because retained bibliographic metadata links this work to Mythology, folklore, and sacred legends.

Mythology, folklore, and sacred legends
Controlled discovery queries from project-gutenberg matched “folklore” and “mythology”. Retained metadata contains “Folklore” in the subject metadata.
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Edition	Date	Publisher	Language	ISBN	Access	Links
Project Gutenberg electronic edition Project Gutenberg metadata does not identify the source print edition.	2004-12-30	Project Gutenberg	ANG, English	—	Public domain (USA)	Project Gutenberg (opens in a new tab)