Lucky Animals

These large but elegant birds have given rise to many legends across their range. Probably the best-known is the story of babies being brought by storks. The legend is very ancient, but was popularized by a 19th-century Hans Christian Andersen story called "The Storks". German folklore held that storks found babies in caves or marshes and brought them to households in a basket on their backs or held in their beaks. From there the folklore has ...
spread around the world to the Philippines and countries in South America Storks have little fear of humans if not disturbed, and often nest on buildings in Europe. In Germany, the presence of a nest on a house was believed to protect against fires. Storks were also protected because of the belief that their souls were human. German, Dutch, and Polish households would even encourage storks to nest on houses, sometimes by constructing purpose-built high platforms, to bring good luck. Across much of Central and Eastern Europe, it is believed that storks bring harmony to a family on whose property they nest. Less

Rabbits are often used as a symbol of fertility or rebirth and have long been associated with spring and Easter as the Easter Bunny. A rabbit's foot may also be carried as an amulet, believed to bring protection and good luck. This belief is found in many parts of the world, with the earliest use being recorded in Europe c. 600 BC. In some parts of Britain and in North America, invoking the rabbit's name may even bring good luck. Less

Mandarin ducks are native to East Asia and thus take a special place in local culture. In traditional Chinese culture, they are believed to be lifelong couples, unlike other species of ducks. Hence they are regarded as a symbol of conjugal affection and fidelity and are frequently featured in Chinese art. A Mandarin duck symbol is also used in Chinese weddings because, in traditional Chinese lore, these birds symbolize wedded bliss and fidelity. ...
For Koreans, Mandarin ducks represent peace, fidelity, and plentiful offspring. Similar to the Chinese, they believe that these ducks mate for life. For these reasons, pairs of wooden-carved Mandarin ducks called wedding ducks are often given as wedding gifts and play a significant role in Korean marriage. Similarly, in Japanese Mandarin ducks represent "a couple of lovebirds/happily married couple". Less

In some parts of their range, Red-crowned cranes are known as a symbol of luck, longevity, and fidelity. In Japan, these graceful birds are known as the tanchōzuru and are said to live for 1,000 years. In Korea, Red-crowned cranes are called durumi or hak and they are considered a symbol of longevity, purity, and peace. In China, they are often featured in myths and legends and are also a symbol of nobility. The image of these birds generally ...
appears in Chinese cultural relics and works of art. In China, several styles of kung fu even take inspiration from the movements of cranes in the wild as the movements of these birds are well known for their fluidity and grace. Less

Among many Native American tribes, especially the Plains Indians, the American bison is considered a sacred animal and religious symbol. Especially, the white bison that has been a symbol of peace and good fortune in American indigenous cultures. The coats of bison are almost always brown and their skin a dark brown or black so an American bison possessing white fur is considered sacred or spiritually significant in several Native American ...
religions; therefore, such bison are often visited for prayer and other religious rituals. White bison are extremely rare and it is estimated that they only occur in approximately one out of every 10 million births. Less

The beauty and spectacular mating dances of these birds have made them highly symbolic in many cultures with records dating back to ancient times. In Japan, the crane is one of the mystical or holy creatures that symbolizes good fortune and longevity because of its fabled life span of a thousand years. The crane is also one of the subjects in the tradition of origami, or paper folding. According to an ancient Japanese legend, anyone who folds a ...
thousand origami cranes will be granted a wish by a crane. Overall, throughout Asia, this beautiful bird is a symbol of happiness and eternal youth. Less

While in ancient Egypt, a cat is considered a sacred animal, in Japan, the maneki neko cat is a symbol of good fortune. According to a myth in many cultures, cats have multiple lives. In many countries, they are believed to have nine lives, but in Italy, Germany, Greece, Brazil, and some Spanish-speaking regions, they are said to have seven lives; in Arabic traditions, the number of lives is six. The myth is attributed to the natural suppleness ...
and swiftness cats exhibit to escape life-threatening situations, however, some may call it luck. Less

In East Asian culture, the magpie is a very popular bird and is a symbol of good luck and fortune. In England, there is a superstitious belief associated with these birds in the UK, whereby the sight of a single magpie is said to bring sorrow or bad luck, the sight of two magpies is said to bring joy or good luck, and viewing more than two magpies is said to determine the gender of a future child. Less

Dolphins have long played a role in human culture. The Ancient Greeks welcomed dolphins; spotting dolphins riding in a ship's wake was considered a good omen. In Greek myths, dolphins were also seen invariably as helpers of humankind. A dolphin rescued the poet Arion from drowning and carried him safe to land, at Cape Matapan, a promontory forming the southernmost point of the Peloponnesus. There was a temple to Poseidon and a statue of Arion ...
riding the dolphin. Less

These powerful animals play a prominent role in the arts, mythology, and other cultural aspects of various human societies. In many Native American cultures, the bear is a symbol of rebirth because of its hibernation and re-emergence. A widespread belief among cultures of North America and northern Asia associated bears with a shaman; this may be based on the solitary nature of both. Bears have thus been thought to predict the future and shamans ...
were believed to have been capable of transforming into bears. Less

Because of the long human experience with swallows, many myths and legends have arisen about these birds. According to a sailing superstition, swallows are a good omen to those at sea. This probably arose from the fact that swallows are land-based birds, so their appearance informs a sailor that he or she is close to shore. An old term of venery for swallows is a "flight" or "sweep". Barn swallows are also known to symbolize the coming of spring ...
and thus love. Less

Lizards appear in myths and folktales around the world and numerous species of lizard are kept as pets. In the Bhojpuri-speaking region of India and Nepal, there is a belief among children that, touching a skink's tail three or five times with the shortest finger gives money. Lizards in many cultures share the symbolism of snakes, especially as an emblem of resurrection. This may have derived from their regular molting. According to Jack ...
Tresidder, in Egypt and the Classical world, they represented wisdom. Less

In the West, bats are popularly associated with darkness, malevolence, witchcraft, vampires, and death; however, in some cultures, these little creatures may be symbolically associated with positive traits, such as protection from certain diseases or risks, rebirth, or long life. In China, bats have been associated with happiness, joy, and good fortune. Five bats there are used to symbolize the "Five Blessings": longevity, wealth, health, love ...
of virtue, and peaceful death. Less