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Anthony of Padua; ox with an ass: attribute of the Nativity • Egyptian evil; inert power; associated with Ra; emblem of Set as the god of evil; red ass: the most dangerous beast in the Underworld • Greco-Roman sloth; infatuation; sacred to Cronos/Saturn, Dionysus/Bacchus, Typhon, Priapus; ass-eared man: Midas; chariot drawn by an ass: attribute of Silenus; she-ass: wife of Ocnus; ass eating a rope: attribute of Ocnus • heraldic stamina; patience; contentment; humility • Hindu steed of Sitala • Islamic speaking ass: Balaam’s ass • Jewish stubbornness; the Gentile nations; associated with Balaam; attribute of Zechariah; white ass: steed of kings, prophets, and judges; jawbone of an ass: attribute of Samson; ass with two burdens: associated with Issachar • Hindu steed of Nairittita, Kalaratri; drew the chariot of Ravana when he abducted Sita; manifestation of Dhenuka • Persian three-legged ass: the three phases of the moon; purity; power against evil; giant three-legged ass with six eyes: Khara • Spanish fat man on an ass: Sancho Panza • see also onager with which the ass is frequently confused Assyria • Jewish punishment from God Astaroth • Jewish accusation; inquisition aster • Chinese beauty; elegance; charm; humility • flower language China aster: afterthought; variety; double aster: I share your sentiments; single aster: I will think of it • Greek love; sacred to Aphrodite athanor • alchemic place of physical, moral, or mystical transmutation Athena/Minerva • Greco-Roman wisdom; Wisdom personified; fertility; man’s higher nature; emblem of Athens; associated with spinning, weaving, and other women’s crafts Atlantis • Greek ancient mysteries, wisdom, enlightenment; the lost Paradise Atlas • Greek strength Aton • Egyptian the unique force from which all living things come attic the head; the mind; the conscious; the soul; the superego; the past; the repressed Audumla • Germanic fertility aum the most sacred sound; affirmation; the reflection of absolute reality; the entire cosmos; the imperishable Word; the Absolute; the totality of all sounds; the Self • Buddhist Indic: the unity of all; Tibetan: pure spirit • Hindu Brahman; the manifestation of God in form; the primordial sound that was present at the creation of the universe; the original sound that contains all other sounds, words, languages, mantras; an emblem of Hinduism • Jain associated with the five paramesthis • Sikh pure spirit; one God aureole see nimbus auricula • flower language painting; scarlet auricula: avarice aurora borealis a manifestation of the other world; omen of war, bloodshed, disaster, death of a king or leader • Eskimo spirits of the dead playing • Finnish souls of the dead • Kwakiutl deceased family members dancing for those living or about to die • Makah a small race of Indians cooking seal and walrus meat • Mandan medicine men and warriors boiling their enemies in huge pots • Norse light reflected from the shields of Valkyries • Salteaux spirits of the dead dancing • Tlingit spirits of the dead playing automobile see vehicle Autumn death; deterioration; middle to old age; harvest; incipient decay; the afternoon; associ- avalanche ated with Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius • GrecoRoman sacred to Dionysus/Bacchus avalanche sudden loss of control; overwhelming forces awl • Roman euphemism for penis awl root associated with Dionysus/Bacchus awning protection either granted or received • square awning earthly protection • round awning spiritual protection axe thunder; lightning; the fecundity of rain; fertility; the power of light; the sun; the critical faculty; sacrifice; help; support; primitive warfare; war; fertility; execution; chastisement; attribute of divinities, carpenters, sky gods, lumberjacks • axe and trident fire and water, respectively • double-headed axe duality; the sun; the union of the sky god and earth goddess; thunder and lightning; attribute of royalty, St.

Nicholas of Myra • Greek fecklessness; chance; humility; attribute of Victory personified, Fate personified • Roman golden ball: charm against evil • see also eight ball; globe; orb; sphere balm anointing; cure; relief; kingship • balm tea cure for melancholy • flower language sympathy; balm of Gilead: healing, cure, relief; gentle balm: pleasantry balsam consolation; love; sympathy; the zealous benefactor; rejuvenation • Christian emblem of the Virgin Mary; balsam with olive: the dual nature of Christ • flower language impatience; ardent love; rashness; red balsam: touch-menot; yellow balsam: impatience bamboo longevity; constancy; gracefulness; resilience; growth; versatility; pliability; good breeding; enduring friendship; hardy old age; emblem of the Orient • Chinese modesty; filial piety; protection from defilement; openmindedness; culture; refinement; longevity; emblem of Buddha, Winter; bamboo and sparrow: friendship; bamboo and crane: longevity and happiness; seven-knotted bamboo: the seven degrees of initiation and invocation; bamboo, plum, and pine: the Three Friends of Winter; bamboo staff: mourning for a father • Formosan Tree of Life • Hindu friendship; emblem of the sacred fire • Hmong Tree of Life • Japanese devotion; truthfulness; longevity; one of the Three Trees of Good Omen; associated with the moon • Philippine bamboo cross: aids the growth of crops • Southeastern Asian flowering bamboo: omen of famine • Taoist rustling bamboo: signal of enlightenment banana the tropics; continuing life; wisdom; associated with the monkey and ape families; simian nature; phallus • Tutsi banana beer: drink of the warrior class banana tree continuing life • Buddhist the weakness and instability of matter • Solomon Island sometimes the dwelling of the dead bandages psychic wound; the winding sheet of the tomb; swaddling clothes • burial bandages the robe of resurrection • see also wounds bandicoot see rat banjo banjo • folkloric a favorite instrument of the devil bank (river) see shore banner victory; triumph; conquest; protection; attribute of kings, princes, warrior saints • red banner revolution • waving a banner dispersal of evil spirits • banners in superfluous numbers aggressive militarism • banner and cross attribute of the Phrygian sibyl • Christian banner and white horse: attribute of St.

Martha aspergillum • Christian exorcism of evil spirits; attribute of SS Martha, Benedict, Anthony the Great, and other saints famed for their contests with the devil asphodel death; loss of consciousness; humility; associated with Saturn (planet) • Christian at- 22 aspiration • Autumn tribute of the Virgin Mary • flower language my regrets follow you to the grave • GrecoRoman emblem of Persephone/Proserpine, Dionysus/Bacchus; associated with the Elysian Fields, paradise, the Islands of the Blessed; in later times associated with the dead, Hades, the afterlife, regret, cemeteries, ruins aspiration the yearning of lower nature for the higher Asrafil, Archangel • Islamic recording angel ass (donkey) humility; patience; stubbornness; ignorance; honesty; courage; wisdom; cleverness; obstinate stupidity; greatness; steadiness; peace; salvation; lust; lewdness; sensuality; subservience; foolishness; sentimentality; inconstancy; pride; conceit; jealousy; a man between 80 and 90 years of age; messenger of death; associated with the poor, the sun; attribute of the personifications of Sloth, Inconstancy, Stupidity, Temperance • she-ass humility; peace; poverty; patience; courage • ass and millstone attributes of Obedience personified • stumbling ass an unbeliever • chariot drawn by an ass attribute of the personifications of Idleness, Peacemaking • ass skin coat or cloak humility • ass in a lion’s skin a coward who hectors; a fool who apes a wise man • head of an ass fertility • ass ears on a human stupidity; a buffoon; folly; a lewd character; attribute of jesters • Chinese stupidity; white ass ridden backwards: steed of Chang Kuo • Christian the Flight into Egypt; Christ’s entry into Jerusalem; emblem of St.