Otter
Otter imagery includes Norse shape-shifting, avarice, and transient fertility; Zoroastrianism treats it as sacredly clean, while Christianity links it to Saint Cuthbert.
Our paraphrase of what the sources say it carries.
At a glance
- Type
- Symbol
- Borne by
- 2 figures
- Traditions
- Irish folklore (1)Japanese folklore (1)
Figures that bear it
A model judged each figure against its own description, one term at a time. Is: the figure is a kind of this thing. Bears: it carries the thing or is marked by it. What a figure does is filed under motifs and powers. Open "why" for the sentence the judgement rests on.
- Dobhar-chú is Irish folklore
why
Often described as a hybrid between an otter and a dog, the Dobhar-chu possesses a sleek, muscular body adapted for swift movement both in water and on land.
- Kawa-uso is Japanese folklore
why
Originating in Japanese folklore, the Kawa-uso is a playful river otter known for its shape-shifting abilities and love of pranks.