What mystical qualities people endow the mascot of the upcoming 2020 year. What is the nature of the rodent and what goddess turned into a flock of rats.
The logic by which the Chinese chose animals for their horoscope is not clear to most Europeans. Let's say we also love dogs, cats and horses, but where did the pig and the rat come from in the list of talismans? If the first still deserves respect as a source of tasty and nutritious food, then the second is a pest and has no place in the honorable row. In the East, the attitude towards rodents is completely different. History and mythology will tell you the correct answers to all questions.
Why we don't love them
Let's try to remember in which works we come across a mouse, or a rat. The first thing that comes to mind is Goethe's poem "Faust". There Mephistopheles, in order to leave the alchemist's house, calls for the help of his servants of rodents and tells them to gnaw the threshold, where protective symbols are depicted. Our ancestors saw the Devil's helpers in these living creatures during the medieval plague epidemics - the infection was carried by parasites that lived on rats. Until this moment, people tried once again not to mention the creature that threatened the grain in the barns, because in folk tales there are much less mice than bears.
Antiquity also did not differ in mercy to mice and rats. The most loyal to them were the ancient Greeks, who celebrated the fertility of these animals and made them a symbol of lust. The Romans generally did not consider rodents to be animals that are capable of self-reproduction. According to a number of ancient myths, rats and mice are born from the earth in troubled years, often the reason for this is the conflicts of the celestials.
Why do we love them
Humanity has not always experienced hatred of rodents. Communities that lived on primitive households often faced food shortages. In search of food, they stumbled upon the burrows of mice, where a stock of grains was stored. Taking away the prey from the animal, the man thanked him. In some Russian folk tales, there is a hostess mouse. True, such a heroine lives in the forest, away from human habitation.
In the East, the best preserved archaic retellings of how this animal saved people from hunger. It was rodents, according to Chinese legends, who taught their ancestors to grow rice. Naturally, they did it by the will of the gods. The absence of these pests in the house is considered a bad omen. Residents of Laos noticed that small animals are able to anticipate floods. According to their beliefs, mice warned people about the approach of the Ecumenical Flood, which made it possible to prepare in advance for the disaster and survive it.
Dear rodents
Mice and rats are often used in magical rituals. In Europe and Africa, fabulous sorcerers and sorceresses practice this. In the East, the servants of the official cult resorted to the help of rodents. If one of the inhabitants of the Celestial Empire came across a white animal, he carried it to the temple. There, a mouse, or a rat, was cared for and cherished. The priests watched her behavior and predicted the future from it. In Japan, the rat is the companion of the patron saint of wealth, the god Daikoku. She brings people the grains of magic rice. The rodent also has a less attractive image - it is considered the patron saint of spies and hired killers.
In Hindu mythology, the god of wisdom Ganesha rides around on a huge rat. This owner of the elephant's head once faced a demon, but did not lose his head, broke off his tusk and threw it at the evil spirit. Struck by such a weapon, the unclean turned into a rat, which was ready to serve the deity with faith and truth. This animal not only carries Ganesha, but also symbolizes his ability to penetrate into the most hidden corners of the universe.
Rat temple
There is a place in India where rodents are considered sacred animals. An unusual sanctuary is located in the city of Deshnok and is dedicated to the goddess Karni Mata. She became famous for her compassionate attitude towards people. In order to constantly be present near her charges and help them, she ordered to build a temple. As soon as the building was completed, the goddess crumbled into 20 thousand rats and settled there. There is another version of this legend. According to her, the kind Karni Mata hid the baby from the God of Death. When the ominous spirit was already close, she turned the child into a rat. Death did not recognize its victim. After that, the smart goddess arranged everything so that her children did not die, but turned into rodents. Today in the temple there are people who consider themselves the descendants of Karni Mata. They see their deceased ancestors in the animals swarming around, and they gladly share a meal with them.
What is the nature of the Rat / Mouse - next year's mascot
The talisman of the upcoming 2020 is primarily a symbol of prosperity. Rodents, according to Eastern beliefs, help in solving financial issues, bring material benefits to the house. Feel free to give your friends and family figurines in the form of rodents - they will attract wealth. The patroness of the next year will favor business and economic people. To earn her favor, you will have to clean up your home before the holiday and develop a business plan for the near future. The rodent's favorite dish is rice.
The Rat, aka the Mouse, which we are waiting for in 2020, is the White Metallic. The color of the animal is associated with the side of the world - the West. If you want to attract the attention of the Rat, it is worth, while decorating the premises for the celebration, to pay more attention to the space oriented to the west. Mouse Release indicates qualities such as stubbornness and determination. Those who prepare for the holiday in advance, having managed to organize the "New Year of their Dreams", will succeed in pleasing the Metal Rat.
