BLACK MAMBA: Reputation

The fastest snake in the world, Black Mamba speeds along clocking in about seven miles per hour (11 KPH).  However, She cannot sustain this high speed for long distances.  Black Mamba uses her speed mainly for escape from danger and not for hunting.

            Unlike other Elapids (Cobra-like Snakes) Black Mamba will live in trees.  Long and lithe, She easily climbs through low branches.  While in the trees, this ambush predator will wait for her prey to come by.

            Not a particularly robust Snake, Black Mamba will however not cede ground to anyone.  At the slightest sense of danger, this nervous Snake will defend Herself.  Rearing up when threatened, Black Mamba will flatten her neck and open her mouth.  (Her name “Black Mamba” comes from the black insides of her mouth.  Her body color usually is gunmetal grey or brown.)

            Black Mamba holds the distinction of being the most venomous Snake in Africa.  Many Africans call Black Mamba, the “Shadow” or “Kiss of Death”.  For them, this venomous Snake is vicious and shrewd.  Many attacks on people by Black Mamba occur in sugar cane fields.  She likes to sun Herself on top of the stalks, and is easily surprised by cane workers.

            Black Mamba inspires fear and respect in people.  What they do not know is that when She is frightened, She races to her hiding place.  Unfortunately for people, Black Mamba will attack anyone in her way.  If you let Her go about her business, you will remain safe.

            Black Mamba has an outsized reputation.  Although her bite is fatal, She is not the Snake who attacks the most people.  Various members of the Puff Adder Family are.  However more people will die when they are bitten by Black Mamba.  This major fact is imprinted in everyone’s mind.

            Black Mamba teaches to check your reputation.  Find out what is true and what is not.  See if your reputation is deserved or not.  Remember Black Mamba flees danger but will attack anybody who stands in her way.  From this comes her reputation as the deadliest Snake in Africa.

------------

Norse Animals of Lore

ANIMAL                    NAME                      LORE

 -----------------------------------------------------

Bear                         (no name)                              Bear Berserkers

Dragon                      Fafnir

Dragon                      Nighogg (Evil Below)  Dragon at bottom of Yggdrasil

Dragon                      Hymiskvida                Middle Garth Serpent

Red Squirrel           Ratatosk (Bore Tooth) Spreads gossip on Yggdrasil           

Squid                       Jormungander             Offspring of Loki

European Adder       (no name)                   Lives at bottom of Yggdrasil

Grass Snakes        Goin                                       

                            Grabak

                           Grafvolluth

                           Moin

                           Ofnir

                           Svafnir

--------------------

Sources:

Norse Mythology, John Lindow, 2001

Our Troth: Volume One: History Lore, Second Edition, 2006

The Secret Language of Birds, Adele Nozedar, 2006
------------

Dragon of the Middle East: Leviathan

My first introduction to the Leviathan was reading Psalm 104 of the Christian Bible.  This Psalm spoke of the Leviathan frolicking in the sea.  From that, I imaged a huge dragon having fun, enjoying itself.

Later I read a charming story of the Hebrew God (Yahweh) and the Leviathan.  Every evening Yahweh would visit and play with this dragon.  Yahweh had created Leviathan and his mate, but soon realized his mistake.  Two leviathans would destroy the world, so He had to eliminate one of them.  Afterwards, He promised to play with the survivor every day.  This story made me think of friendship and forgiveness.

However, when I researched the Leviathan, a different picture emerged.  Several Middle Eastern myths had merged together to depict a huge chaos monster.  In one myth, the Hebrew God would slay this dragon, and serve him to the Righteous at the world’s end.  Then in later Christian writings, the Leviathan became a symbol of evil.

Further investigations revealed conflicting descriptions of this dragon, even the gender could not be agreed upon.  Most agreed however that the Leviathan is a dragon of chaos.  Also, they concurred that the Leviathan was huge, churning up the depths of the seas.  According to all the sources I read, this dragon was a world destroying one.

In the creation myths of the Babylonians, Canaanites, and Hebrews, the Leviathan (under various names) was a dragon of chaos.  Then the Prophet Isaiah of the Jews said that the Leviathan was the first of the great acts of God.  He further states that at the end of history, God will slay this dragon.  During the Middle Ages, Christians asserted that Leviathan was the Hellmouth, a monstrous animal with a huge mouth.  Into this animal’s stomach went the damned.  In modern times, the Leviathan became the tool of Satan and as well as a force of evil.

My conclusion after my research is that the Leviathan is a dragon of chaos.  However, I do not view this dragon as evil. Instead of the ending of the Jewish myth, I prefer the Canaanite myth of re-creation.  In this myth, Baal (the God of Order) and the Leviathan reached a compromise of mutual co-existence.

For me, the Leviathan sports in the sea and meets with God in the evenings at the seashore.  Between time and space, the Leviathan and Yahweh play together.  The Leviathan has forgiven God for destroying his mate, and God has made amends to him.  Now, they frolic together as good friends, unconcerned what humans may think.

Works Used:

Sutherland, Robert, “Putting God on Trial:  The Biblical Book of Job”, Trafford, Toronto, http://www.bookofjob.org/, 2006 .

Van Scott, Miriam, “The Encyclopedia of Hell”, St. Martin’s, London, 1999.

Zell-Ravenheart, Oberon and Ash DeKirk, “A Wizard’s Bestiary”, New Page, Franklin Lakes, NJ, 2007.

---------