Whale
The whale denotes cosmic waters and an engulfing grave that enables death and rebirth; Christian readings alternate between resurrection and the Devil’s hell.
Our paraphrase of what the sources say it carries.
At a glance
- Type
- Symbol
- Borne by
- 4 figures
- Traditions
- Greek mythology (1)Inuit mythology (1)Japanese folklore (1)Norse mythology (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.
- Akhlut is Inuit mythology
why
In Inuit mythology, Akhlut is a killer whale that can transform into a wolf.
- Bake-kujira is Japanese folklore
why
Japanese coastal tales tell of this ghostly skeletal whale surrounded by ghost fish.
- Cetus is Greek mythology
why
From Greek mythology, Cetus is a giant sea monster resembling a serpent or whale.
- Lyngbakr is Norse mythology
why
From Norse mythology, Lyngbakr is a gigantic whale that disguises itself as an island.