rota
And speaking of squirrels and divination, I happened to run across this quote in my reading. Just thought I'd pass this on, for whatever it's worth. Harold Bayley, in his book 'The Lost Language of Symbolism', vol. II, writes:
"The Scandinavians conceived the Tree of Life as Iggdrasil, the World-Ash, the Oracle and Judgment-Place of the Gods, the Dwelling of the Fates, and the Source and Spring of Knowledge. Up and down the trunk of this mighty Ash a squirrel is said to have perpetually run, a squirrel which, according to Rhine legend, was "animated by the Voice of God," and whispered tidings into the ear of Wotan of everything that transpired below.
Also, a little further on:
"...when the Squirrel is hunted she cannot be driven to the ground, unlesse extremitie or faintnesse cause her to do so through an unwilling compulsion, for such is the stately mind of this little beast that while her limbs and strength lasteth she tarrieth and saveth herself in the tops of tall trees, disdaining to come down for every harm or hurt which she feeleth; knowing, indeed, her greatest danger to rest below amongst the dogs and busie hunters. From whence may be gathered a perfect pattern for us, to be secured from all the wiles and hungrie chasings of the treacherous devil; namely, that we keep above in the loftie palaces of heavenlie meditations, for there is small securitie in things on earth; the greatest ought to be our fear of danger, when we leave to look and think of heaven."
There's some more stuff in there about squirrels cracking nuts to find kernels of truth...
"The Scandinavians conceived the Tree of Life as Iggdrasil, the World-Ash, the Oracle and Judgment-Place of the Gods, the Dwelling of the Fates, and the Source and Spring of Knowledge. Up and down the trunk of this mighty Ash a squirrel is said to have perpetually run, a squirrel which, according to Rhine legend, was "animated by the Voice of God," and whispered tidings into the ear of Wotan of everything that transpired below.
Also, a little further on:
"...when the Squirrel is hunted she cannot be driven to the ground, unlesse extremitie or faintnesse cause her to do so through an unwilling compulsion, for such is the stately mind of this little beast that while her limbs and strength lasteth she tarrieth and saveth herself in the tops of tall trees, disdaining to come down for every harm or hurt which she feeleth; knowing, indeed, her greatest danger to rest below amongst the dogs and busie hunters. From whence may be gathered a perfect pattern for us, to be secured from all the wiles and hungrie chasings of the treacherous devil; namely, that we keep above in the loftie palaces of heavenlie meditations, for there is small securitie in things on earth; the greatest ought to be our fear of danger, when we leave to look and think of heaven."
There's some more stuff in there about squirrels cracking nuts to find kernels of truth...