A poster showing the finest of the 19th century nature artists. This peticular poster show drawings of the Egyptian Vulture made by Keulemans, Thorburn, Lear, and Agazzis Fuertes. The latter drawn during his visit to Ethiopia. I have added some folklore tales and conservation information.
Category: Folklore
The Tree Sparrow and the selffish old woman, a tale of revenge
In a little house in a little old village in Japan lived a little old man and his little old wife. One morning when the old woman slid open the screens which form the sides of the Japanese houses, she saw on the doorstep a poor little sparrow. She took him up gently and fed […]
The blacksmith’s wife stole the Dove’s egg, and all were punished
A dove laid an egg in the hollow of a big tree in front of the blacksmith’s house. When she flew away from her nest in search of food, the blacksmith’s wife stole the egg. The dove came back to her nest and found the egg missing. The dove knew at once that the blacksmith’s […]
Birds and folklore from the lower Amazon
Birds of ill omen are present in plenty. Chief among these is the goat-sucker (Caprimulgus). The Takutu Indians have the greatest superstition with regard to this bird, and would not kill it for any price. They say it keeps communication with the dead, and brings messages to their conjurers. Even the common people on the […]
How the Birds Obtained their Distinctive Markings
An Arawak hunter captures a Vulture, daughter of Anuaninia.” She lays aside her feathers, appears before him as a beautiful girl, becomes his wife, bears him above the clouds, and after much trouble persuades her father and family to receive him. All then goes well until he expresses a wish to visit his aged mother, […]
Don’t count your Chickens before they are hatched
An Indian went hunting one day far away from his hut, so far indeed that when he thought of returning night overtook him. Losing his path in the darkness, ho lay down to sleep under an overhanging wood-ants’ nest. These insects asked him by and by if he were asleep, and he told them “Not […]
Why Oilbirds are living in the dark, even in daytime
In the province of Cumana are several lofty mountains, the highest of which is Tumeriquiri. In this mountain is situated the cavern of Guacharo, which is celebrated among the Indians. It is very extensive, and serves as a living environment to an immense number of nocturnal birds, especially the Oilbird or Guacharo, from the fat […]
Txamsem deceived Chief Grouse and lost his intestines
Txamsem climbed a mountain and saw a house on the other side. He went up to it secretly and looked in through a knot-hole. Behold! there were a woman and her two children. He left secretly, and went a little farther back and sat there a while. Then three Crows whom Txamsem had called came […]
Why the Turkey wears a red collar
When the smart Terrapin won a running race from the Rabbit by fooling him (another story) the animals wondered and talked about it a great deal, because they had always thought the Terrapin slow, although they knew that he was a warrior and had many conjuring secrets beside. But the Turkey was not satisfied and […]
The Geese and the abbess
Many years ago there was near the sea a convent famed for the rich crops of grain that grew on its farm. On a certain year a large flock of wild geese descended on its fields and devoured first the corn, and then the green blades. The superintendent of the farm hastened to the convent […]