Butterfly in Europe has a rather bad rap!
From Animal Wisdom; Jessica Dawn Palmer
As so often seen, the same phenomenon witnessed by two cultures (the European and aboriginal American) gave rise to two different interpreta tions. For Native American peoples, Butterfly is the art of transformation. Butterfly represents the never-ending cycle of life, 'symbolic' death and rebirth; hence, its medicine bestows not only the capability, but the clarity of mind needed before any self-transformation. Butterfly emerging from his chrysalis was a symbol of resurrection. The exquisite creature was considered a miracle of transformation and resurrection. Butterfly is the power of air, the ability to float upon the breeze. Butterfly is known for its darting flight; therefore, it represents the mind and the ability to change it when necessary.
In the Old World however the connotation was negative. For the ancients and in later European traditions the butterfly was thought to be the spirit of the dead. In Gnostic art, the angel of death is depicted crushing a butter fly underfoot. Its attraction to flame and light symbolize purification by fire. Sailors believed if they saw a butterfly before embarkation, they would die at sea. In some areas of England it is still thought that butter flies contain the souls of unhappy children who have come back to life. Elsewhere in England, a person is supposed to kill the first one they see or face a year of bad luck. If the first butterfly that arrives in the spring is yellow, sickness is in store for the family. Only in Scotland and Ireland does the appearance of a golden butterfly near the dead signify some thing good, for it is believed that the butterfly ensures the soul's place in heaven.
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Standard dictionary of Folklore Mythology and legend:
Not at all are butterflies looked on as good: In much of Europe they are tabu. In parts of Scotland, Friesland, England and Bosnia, butterflies are regarded as witches; in Serbia and Westphalia, butterflies are also thus regarded. St. Peter's Day, February 22, is set aside for the expulsion of witches and moths. Children go about knocking on the houses with hammers, reciting rimes and incantations to drive them out of the houses. Elsewhere butterflies are thought to be fairies in disguise, who steal butter and milk.
In the matter of capturing and killing butterflies there is a good bit of disagreement. Among the Magyars it is lucky to catch the first one of the season. In Oldenburg the first one should be caught and allowed to fly through your coat sleeve; in Devon it should be killed; but elsewhere in the west of England it is unlucky to kill it. In Essex the first white one should be caught and its head bitten off, but it should be allowed to flyaway. In Somerset and Dorset they kill the moths; in the north of England, the red butterflies; in Pitsligo, the tortoise-shell ones; in Llanidloes, the colored ones; and in the Vosges region of France they should all be caught. In Scotland it is unlucky to kill or keep them, while in Suffolk they should be·tenderly entreated, and in the west of Scotland the white ones are fed.
There are many superstitions regarding specific butterflies. Among the Bulgarians a dark one presages sickness. In Brunswick if the first one of the season is white it is an omen of death, if yellow, of birth, and if variegated, of marriage. In Rumaenia, the first one, if white, announces sickness, and health if red. Some say that if the first butterfly is white it will be a rainy summer, if dark, a season of thunderstorms, and if yellow, sunny weather. Among the Celts, to see one fly by night means death. In Hampshire to see 3 together is a bad omen.
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I am astounded and perplexed to learn that about these European and Celtic views concerning Butterfly!
What was Chesca’s intentions.when drawing this Shape Changer? (Insect)
I also wonder, iffff maybe New Age views have "sanitised" Butterfly of all its traditional negative conotations or, rather then adhering to the old traditional meanings, adopted the much gentler Native American view of the Creature???
