A swan died on a railway in Germany - causing 23 trains to stop. They waited for the bird's partner, who refused to fly away on his own, to be removed from the tracks. Swan fidelity is widely known, but in fact, such affection is characteristic of many birds. And she's not as romantic as she might seem.
Swans as a symbol of love
Why are swans called a symbol of love? Legends are made up, poems and songs are written about swan fidelity and devotion. White-winged birds are a living symbol of happiness for two lovers, a sign of pure, tender and long-lasting affection that overcomes all obstacles on the path of life. And all because these incredibly beautiful birds are monogamous, they create a pair for life.
According to one version, the history of the familiar “heart” sign comes from the image of a pair of swans swimming on a lake in the rays of a scarlet sunset. Bending their fragile necks to each other, they see off the passing day. That is why young people who unite their destinies want to keep swan-like fidelity in their hearts.
Swan fidelity lies in the fact that birds remain devoted to their other half even after her death, which, for example, does not distinguish other wedding messengers - white doves. The swan will selflessly care for a sick or injured partner, protecting and giving the last food.
Swan in legends and myths
Since ancient times, the swan has served as a symbol of purity, wisdom, love, music and poetry, fidelity and chastity. A special attitude towards birds can be traced not only in Ancient Rus', but also in Greece, India, and China. The reason for this reverence is the beauty and grace of the bird, as well as the fact that the partners are faithful to each other throughout their lives.
Swans in Greek mythology
Snow-white birds in Greek mythology are the faithful companions of Apollo, Aphrodite, Orpheus and Eros. Even Zeus himself once turned into a white swan to appear in all his glory before Leda. And it was the swan that was present during the birth of Apollo - the gift of clairvoyance of the Olympian god is associated with this.
Swans in the myths of Ancient India
In the myths of Ancient India, it was from a swan egg that fell into the abyss of Chaos that our Universe was born. Birds in India were also a symbol of the duality of existence: breath and spirit. And snow-white, sparkling plumage is a symbol of the purity of the human soul. The supreme deity of the Hindus, Brahma, is often depicted riding a swan.
Myths of the Slavs and Celts
In the myths of the ancient Slavs, the swan is associated with the feminine principle and is a holy bird. In the legends and tales of the northern peoples of Rus', it is in the image of a snow-white swan that a wise and beautiful maiden appears, possessing various secrets, knowledge and miracles. There is exactly the same image in Celtic myths. This is how in “The Song of the Nibelungs” girls turn into snow-white birds. Also among the Celts, birds had magical powers and were associated with the sun, purity, and generosity. The Celts believed that the bird could not only heal all diseases, but also bring love, wealth, peace and quiet to the home. Apparently, this is why people born in the month of the Swan, according to the Celtic calendar, were considered the luckiest and happiest.
Swans in Chinese mythology
In China, birds are associated with the sun and masculinity. In some regions they are still revered as sacred.
The legend of swan fidelity
Legends say that swans die in separation. In one Russian village they remember the legend about a pair of swans that lost each other. The flock of swan flew to warmer climes, but the white swan could not take off from the lake - the boys broke her wing. One of the old-timers took pity on the bird and took it to him. He released her into a flock of geese, where she overwintered. Within a few months, the wing grew together, but the swan could no longer fly. And when in the spring she was walking in a meadow with geese, and the cries of a flock returning home were heard in the sky - the bird became excited and gave a voice... Then a quick shadow fell from the sky like an arrow - it was a huge white swan. He flew up to his beloved and hugged her with his wingspan, the swans intertwined their necks and froze. Their hearts could not bear the piercing melancholy, sadness and joy that they experienced in an instant.
Couples in love dream of doing everything together. Taking care of your spouse day by day, building a house, raising children, watching them grow up and begin to live independently - these are important stages of life that are interesting to go through hand in hand.
Swans do not lag behind people in this regard. The swan family will not just let the young swan-daughter out of the nest; they will strictly monitor which suitors woo the young snow-white bird. The swan zealously protects his daughters from obsessive suitors and watches their battles. And they show off, taking proud poses, cackling and attacking each other to prove their superiority. After all, only one of them will be trusted to take the bride, and then the white swan will take wing and fly away from her native nest to always be close to her beloved swan.
Touching swan affection sometimes leads to funny incidents. So, on one of the lakes near the German city of Munster, a female black swan remained faithful to a catamaran in the form of a swan for three years, accompanying it daily on the surface of the water.
They are like a miracle - gentle and honest to each other
The swan is a symbol of absolute purity, mercy, peace, rebirth, nobility. Free people who dream of starting a family are recommended to place such an amulet in the northwestern zone of the house to attract a soul mate into their lives. A figurine of a pair of swans is a good gift to give to married couples and newlyweds.
Married couples, having performed this good ritual, will restore harmony in the house, attract romance into the relationship, and renew feelings. This talisman personifies fidelity, impeccability in feelings between a man and a woman. It also happens that if one of the spouses is not very confident in the future fidelity of the chosen one, then you can hang a picture of swans, and be sure to inform your betrothed about this. A talisman of three swans, a couple with a child, will definitely attract the arrival of a child into the house.
The swan amulet is better activated with the help of the Lotus talisman. To attract all the necessary energies, Feng Shui experts advise choosing and clearing a small space in the northwestern zone of the room, or in the far right corner, placing a figurine of swans there, and lighting a red candle nearby.
An image of a swan, as a talisman, can be hung or placed in the children's room of a girl - a young princess.
This amulet promotes the revelation of femininity, charm and femininity. But in a boy’s room, it is better to place a symbol of a more powerful animal or bird to develop strong masculine qualities. Alexander, November 6, 2014.
Swan symbolism in family life
The image of these graceful birds with fragile necks is so poetic that they have become a symbol of the swan’s reverent fidelity and endow objects with swan symbols with some kind of incomprehensible aura. There is a belief that is coming true: figurines and photos of swans bring love and mutual understanding to a house where, it would seem, nothing can be saved. Quarrels, misunderstanding of each other, mutual claims, grievances - we often want to show our other half our own importance, forgetting about love. And we also forget that love is the most important thing in life, and happiness and luck follow it. Swan figurines bring love and peace to the family - this phenomenon cannot be explained by anything other than the magical power of swan fidelity.
Often, couples in love choose swan symbolism for their wedding in order to emphasize through their images the desire to unite their hearts forever. Whether it be wedding glasses with the image of swans of the bride and groom, beautifully decorated swans on the roof of the wedding car or unusual swans on the hood, do not forget to save this “couple” to place in your home. And may your love, mutual feelings and confidence in each other give this symbol of fidelity a special personal meaning.
Swan on the tracks
When the police were informed about a swan standing on the railway tracks, law enforcement officers even initiated a “special rescue operation.” This happened on December 23 on the road connecting Kassel (Hesse) and Göttingen (Lower Saxony), RIA Novosti reports, citing the police press service.
It turned out that two swans entered the area of the high-speed railway and one of them died. He probably got electrocuted. His partner did not fly away, but remained near the body. Experts tried to lure the swan out, but it did not give in. We even had to call firefighters from the Hessian commune of Fuldatal, who raised the bird using special equipment.
Due to the rescue operation, 23 trains had to be stopped. The carriages remained motionless for about an hour. The bird was then caught and released on the Fulda River.
Photo source: Bundespolizei
Meals: menu
Mute mutes feed on fruits, coastal and aquatic greenery, and plant roots. Swans are also not averse to eating insects, mollusks, small crustaceans and worms. This food is especially useful for young swans; they need animal protein for normal growth and full development. In summer, birds can peck grain in wheat fields.
Swans can't dive. To get food, they plunge their head and neck into the water. The mute mute is able to get food from a depth of 70-90 cm.
You should not feed mute swans bread; it often makes them sick and die.
Positive or negative - depends on the color
Swans have always been a little more fabulous than other birds. If they turned into people, then exclusively into young beauties with magical abilities. If a bird touched a sick person with its wing, it healed him of any ailment. She fearlessly accepted food from a person’s hands and proved his virtue to the whole world. In the Scandinavian countries there is still a legend according to which heaven and earth are two halves of a cracked swan egg.
The vast majority of swan signs are positive, but even among them you can find exceptions.
Signs about white swans
- The white swan on the nest is a kind hostess. To meet one like this is a lifetime of grief.
- A bird with chicks is a symbol of successful childbirth, pleasant family chores. A very important sign for women dreaming of a baby and for pregnant women.
- A single person happened to see a pair of white swans in the sky - the sign advises you to mentally ask for love and a reliable life partner.
Signs about the black swan
With dark birds everything is not so clear. The sign calls the black swan a witch's servant. It is in this form that “collectors of souls” come to the bloody battlefields. In general, it is advisable to stay away from handsome guys with anthracite wings, so as not to invite trouble ahead of time. During the Middle Ages they even tried to exterminate them.
To be fair, it must be said that a negative attitude towards a black swan does not exist everywhere. In Australia, this bird is considered one of the main state symbols and is depicted on coats of arms, flags and postage stamps.
In Europe, noble birds were served at the table of kings and other noble gentlemen. The dish was considered obligatory when a dinner was held in honor of some important guest. And if during the “banquet” a roasted swan did not appear in the refectory, the visitors received a clear hint - the owners were not happy with them!
Swans in art
The image of a bird is beautiful, which is why it is so widely reflected in art. Images of these noble and graceful creatures can be found on the canvases of Leonardo da Vinci, Moro, and Salvador Dali. There are references to birds in Russian folk tales, as well as in many poems by Yesenin, stories by Mamin-Sibiryak, Bazhov. The Strugatsky brothers created the story “Ugly Swans”, and David Mitchell wrote the novel “Meadow of the Black Swan”.
The image of this bird was no less used in music. The whole world knows Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s ballet “Swan Lake”. Saint-Saens' musical fantasy of the same name is also dedicated to the bird.
