Birds in Legend, Fable and Folklore

"Birds in Legend, Fable and Folklore" by Ernest Ingersoll is a compilation of essays and stories that looks at how different cultures have viewed birds across history. It highlights the important positions birds hold in myths, fables, and old beliefs. In the beginning of the book, the reader is shown a world where birds are thought to be magical beings, as told in stories from around the world. It tells of birds as messengers and omens, with examples from the Biloxi Indians and Breton peasants. Primitive societies believed that birds had special knowledge from the gods and that the customs and superstitions about birds can be seen today. The book acts as a way to look into the complex link between people and birds.