Toads:

The toads (borax or stelon), we all know them - in our gardens, in the swamps, croaking after a night rain, of kids picking them up and carrying them home. There's an old superstition about being lost in the woods - ask a toad. But that hasn't always been the case. The Near East has the toad as a kind of demonic creature, probably because of a toxic secretion. In China it is a lunar amphibian, of yin and humidity, he brings rains and thus riches, as he is depicted in statues of being made of gold, sitting on a pile of gold coins, with a jewel in his forehead - with three legs. But in Europe, he shared the same place as the crow, as a symbol of evil, a symbol of loathing, pestilence, a familiar of witches, of death, the torments of damned souls, conflict and loss.

Boar:

The emblem of the warrior was the Boar, as a primordial representation of strength, with its fearless aggression and undying courage. It is shown on many Celtic warrior helmets, next to or carved on god statues; and in Iran is a sun symbol - as well as in Egypt the sun god Horus' eye was torn out by Seth in the form of a black boar. To Shinto the boar was under the lunar designation, and it was forbidden to kill any white boar. As well as in India is given respect for the animal because of the boar's link to Varaha, as Vishnu took the animal's form to root the earth up after it had been taken by demons. In Greece Hercules has this animal as a monster, an adversary to the hero. Not only courage and aggression, but also destructive brutality are also part of the boar's symbolism. And as time wore on, it became known with sin, tyranny, lust and gluttony.

Eagle:

And in many places Gods such as Segomo, Jupiter, and Mentu, death as well as military power being symbolized by the eagle, hawk or falcon, they are featured on such sanctuaries in France with three pillars and niches carved for the holding of skulls. And this took on even moore variations, to the warrior of May, to the Knight of May on medieval calendars. Beasts have featured in many myths over time, and in many different views. He is the supreme master of the air, and Rome had this bird as its imperial symbol, and released them over the Emperor's pyre as a custom, as "A bird of Jove." And later on in the Roman/Byzantine times they had the double-headed eagle standard, which was to symbolize the two halves of the empire. And in the United States it is the symbol of the nation, of democracy. He is attributed speed, power, keen perception (being "eagle eyed"), vigor, victory, supremacy, valor, domination, and royalty. Soaring towards the sun, it is also linked with many sun and sky gods. And it is also a bird thought to carry souls away, much like the corvids and many other birds. On Greece, it was the creature of retribution, and justice, as it was an eagle that devours Prometheus' liver every day as his punishment after the defeat of the Titans. In Egypt, Asia, and the Far East, the links of the sky-gods and the eagle are very consistent. Such as with Garuda, he has an eagle-headed ride of the Hound of Vishnu, and together they battle the evil serpents. In Native American myths, the Eagle is also "the thunder bird." In this case, he is the one who brings thunder and storms, and with his associations with the sun, it suggests fertility as well as light and healing powers. He is here the shamanic father symbol, and is called upon in initiation rites. The Eagle eats carrion and also hunts it's own prey, and was a feared scavenger in Europe.

Dogs:

Dogs were commonly associated with the otherworld, as they may be harbingers of death. The Hounds of Annwn were red-eared dogs, as red was a color of both life and death, thus red ochre was spread on the corpses in their graves; even Da Dearg possessed nine white hounds. Dogs also accompany such gods as Sucellos, Nehalennia, and such entities as "Black Shuck." They are guides in the otherworld, and Black Shuck can be a friend or foe on the dark roads.

Spider:

Ever kill a spider? I don't recommend it - spiders are lunar, mostly a night-creature, and a symbol of the darkness, she weaves human destinies in many cultures, and is a creature of divination, being creative, symbol of the patterns of life, connects the past with the future, creating possibilities - it is said she will protect your home from storms, and many practitioners link her with good luck, wealth, and bringing heavenly gifts. In Greece, she is the sacred creature of Ariadne – as the myth goes that her skill closely matched Minerva’s, and instead of death, was turned into a spider for her arrogance; and in India she symbolizes "maya" (Illusions) which is the fragile mortal world of appearances. Later on, they came to represent ensnarement, temptation, a vindictive woman, and mostly women in general.

Deer/Stag:

The deer has been a popular animal of symbolism ever since man first saw them, and hunted them. In the bible it is in Psalms that the stag drinks from the life-giving waters, and being in many Christian mosaics. It is a stag that is at the base of the tree of life, and is the symbol of royalty, the aristocracy, is associated with the east, dawn, purity, regeneration, creativity, and hunting prowess. And through it is annual shedding and regrowth of its antlers, it has also been a symbol of resurrection and rebirth. Also, the stag is a symbol of virility, and sexual potency. In China, it is a representation of wealth and happiness. Swiftness, grace, and beauty are known hallmarks of this animal, and also in the areas of Europe and surrounding areas, a type of deity with antlers has been carved and revered for a very long time. The Stag was a messenger and a supernatural guide to heroes in many myths such as with the Hittites, Mesopotamia in general, and even with Shinto beliefs. The doe is also associated with divinity, and the deer are associated with Diana or the Roman Artemis, the one epitaph of Cernunnos "The Horned One," (Actually, it's only one altar epitaph, and it is incomplete, and says "...ernunnos") and variations of antlered deity appearing under several names appears as well. And with the advent of Christianity, it didn't loose its place, but rather was depicted as trampling serpents, and drinking at the foot of the cross.

Snake/Serpent:

The snake, serpent, has coiled itself through time gracefully, but its folklore is anything but flattering. It looks like in the beginning it was a creature of death and fertility, of magic and cunning. It was also a phallic animal, and is often associated with a creator divinity in many places. Primarily, it is associated with the primeval life-force of creation, and also with healing. Many healing deities have an association with the snake, and the Celts were noted by Classical authors to have revered the reptile. Ouroboros, or the snake swallowing its own tail has had its place from Gnostics to the Romans. The snake was in touch with the earth, mysteries therein, the underworld, and darkness. And with its shedding of skin, links the creature to regeneration and rebirth. It is possibly one of the most widely seen creatures in world myths besides the bird. In India, Vishnu rests on the coils of a great snake Shesha, Vritra is a chaos snake that is slain by Indra. The Rainbow snake in African myths reaches the watery underworld, creating a link from this world, to the other. And to the Norse, the serpent that coils around Midgard holds it in its unpredictable grasp. The snake is also often associated with cures, and also a deadly and delicate balance of danger, chaos, and death, with life, health, and strength. But it is not always a good spot for the snake, as in Gilgemesh from Babylon the snake stole the plant of eternal life, and in the bible, the serpent is the symbol of sin itself, temptation, evil, lies, deceit, chaos, and betrayal (the phrase "snake in the grass"). At the foot of the cross, it is also a symbol of the damned, being trampled by "holy" animals and Saints.

Horse:

An archetypical symbol of vitality, beauty, strength, and endurance, the horse has its place in our mindsets as deeply as we know the deer, snake, or bird. They are the symbols of dominance, of civilizations, and superiority. A horse mastered is a potent symbol of force, and it is featured in many cave-paintings of life force itself. Being linked with wind, storms, fire, the waves of the oceans and seas, and prowess, and a continuity of life, it is depicted in many cultures, and after disappearing from North and South America, it is one of the few places where horses are not depicted in art and mythology. The horse was a fertility symbol, and keeping a horse-tail during winter was thought of a fertility talisman. The horse was thought to know the mysteries of the earth, the otherworld, and the cycles of germination. But in other places, the horse was a creature of the sky, and linked to many sky-gods and sun gods and goddesses. Funerary rites were also part of this animal's symbolism, and also messengers to the otherworlds. Black horses are the symbols of death, the rider-less horse was the epitome of loss and death, and is the symbol of funeral processions, as well as night-mares and terror. There are many associations with a black horse, such as the Kelpie, which is known to take human life. But, the white horse is the symbol of light, and in many myths such as Norse (With Odin riding on the eight-legged horse Sleipnir), Hindu, Shinto, and even Islam the white horse has a high place in belief. The Saxons had the white horse as their standard in England, and goddesses such as Rhiannon and Epona are part of the Celtic myths that have horses therein, and Epona was adopted by the Romans, especially the cavalry. The Celts revered the horse also as a regal symbol. Also having ties to agriculture, it was the horse or ox that plowed the land for cultivation. Horses can also symbolize thought, and the speed of thinking. And in later times the horse also had associations with lust, recklessness, and rage.

Ram

A sacrificial creature, but also one of leadership, masculinity, the pastoral life, strength both inner and physical, the symbol of achievement and drive, and an authority figure. The Astrological sign of Aries is represented by the Ram, with being the first to initiate the Astrological year, as well as the leader in initiating new things.

 Goat:

The Goat begins it's major and well-known symbolism as the Astrological sign of Capricorn, in Babylon. In Scandinavian countries we have the 'Julbock' or Yule-goat as a symbol the conveyence of the nordic pantheon, and especially of the God Thor, or Dunar to the Germanic peoples; with Thor having depictions of a goat-drawn cart. In it's beginnings, the goat was a symbol of vitality, fertility, creativity, and virility. In Mediterranean mythology the goat was associated with Fauns, Pan, Satyrs, and other forest entities. The goat represents all things wild, but not untamed. We also have the Baphomet Sigil, also known as 'The Goat of Mendes,' 'Mendez Goat,' or the 'Sabbatic goat,' which is a well-known symbol in the occult. The Baphomet has it's earliest associations with the Templars, and was used to accuse them of demonic worship. But today it is the emblem of the Church of Satan, adopted by Anton LaVey. The 'Mendez Goat,' was first seen in the 1950's and attributed falsely to Levi. To the later modern era, the goat turned into a trickster form under the eyes of christianity, a sort of stand-in symbol for Satan himself.

Coming soon: Fish