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ANIMALS
Deer - In the north of Scotland and the Scottish isles there
is a long tradition of deer goddesses/fairies. The Mother Goddess
was known as the Mistress of the Herds and was believed to release
those animals that could be hunted for food. In northern Scandinavia,
northern Canada and Siberia belief in this tradition still continues.
Cailleach, the Celtic Hag Goddess, was known as the Mistress of Wild Things and took the form of a deer as one of her animal guises.
Fairy women were said to assume the form of a deer to escape pursuit or if enchanted by a powerful hunter magician who sought to possess them.
References:
Eason, Cassandra, 2001, A Complete Guide to Fairies and Magical
Beings, Piatkus, London
Kear, Katherine, 2000, Flower Wisdom, the definitive guide book
to the myth, magic and mystery of flowers, Thorsons, London
McIntyre, Anne, 1996, The Complete Floral Healer, Gaia Books, London
Paterson, Jacqueline Memory, 1996, Tree Wisdom, Thorsons, London
Philpotts, Beatrice, 1999, The Fairyland Companion, Pavilion Books
©2002 copyright Fairyland trust
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