Tuesday, 24 March 2026

Which animals are magical?

There are individual exceptions either way; but for an animal to be magical or not, doesn't correlate with whether that beast is good or not. 

While magic (as such) is A Good Thing in the sense of being better than life lived at a mundane, everyday, non-experiential and alienated fashion - there is plenty of magic in the world that is malign in intent and/or effect. 

Nonetheless, some kinds of animal are magical, while others are not - and this helps explain people's attitudes to them. 

It can work positively or negatively, for some people like and seek magical experience; while others hate, fear, and avoid it. 


So we can start by stating that cats are magical creatures, but dogs are not - and this has much to do with the well-known pattern of human types that are often divided between cat or dog lovers. 

Sheep and especially goats are magical; but cows are not - and neither are pigs (despite that oracular pigs feature in The Mabinogion!). 

Owls are magical - and so are corvids (especially ravens and magpies), swallows and swifts; but pigeons are not, neither are most songbirds, nor are ducks. 

Bears are magical, and so are hares, badgers, red squirrels, and moles; but shrews, mice and rates are not magical. 


And so on. Discuss among yourselves. 


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