Lord of the Animals
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The Lord of the Animals is a generic term for a number of deities from a variety of cultures with close relationships to the animal kingdom or in part animal form (in cultures where that is not the norm). The implication being these all have a Stone Age precursor who was probabably a hunter's deity. The classic example of which is the 'horned god of the hunt', typified by Cernunnos, Herne and Arnon, and a variety of Stag, Bull, Ram and Goat gods. Horned gods are not universal however, and in some cultures Bear gods, like Artos might take the role, or even the more anthropomorphic deities who lead the Wild Hunt. Such figures are also often referred to as 'Lord of the Forest'* or 'Lord of the Mountain'. They sometimes also have female equivalents.
Shiva was originally called the Lord of the Animals and probably had a similar basis, before becoming transcendentalised.
The Horned God of the Wiccans is believed to be derived from the same source.
Some Saints such as St Giles also preserve the image.
It is possible that we are dealing with an archetype rather than a Stone Age survival. Though the two ideas are not mutually exclusive.
- In some accounts of people claiming to be Werewolves, a figure known as the 'Lord Of The Forest', who usually provides the means for the change, is mentioned as well, such as the case of The Werewolf of Besançon, or that of Jean Grenier.
- In European cultures, there is also a prevelant legendary relating to "lords" or "kings" of specific species, especially of the cats, and of the measn by which this kingship passes and the passage is announced. [See http://www.pitt.edu/~dash/type6070b.html#kingcat]
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