Conception Myths
The world of folklore includes mythology about our origins as
a species as well as members of specific communities. These creation myths
explain the how and why of our world, beginning with birth. Birth is one of the
more prominent life passages and so myths, stories and legends about how to
bring new life in the world abound.
Here are three myths from around the world about conceiving a
child that we found very interesting:
China: Stepping
on a God’s footprint.
In China, the mythical god of agriculture is Houji. Considered
to be one of the sons of the Emperor Ku, he was conceived by the emperor’s
wife, Jiang Yuan, who was infertile.
One day, while out for a stroll she came upon the giant
footprint of the sky god Shangdi. After stepping on the footprint she had a
strange sensation and discovered later that she was pregnant.
Ancient
Greece: Being Showered By Gold
Zeus loved love and fertility. Upon hearing that King Akrisios
of Argos locked his daughter Danae in a tower to prevent her from ever getting
pregnant because it had been prophesized that her son Perseus would murder the
king, he made gold rain fall from the sky. The rain entered the tower and Danae
becomes pregnant.
The prophecy is fulfilled.
Norway:
Eating a Flower
A queen, wanting to conceive, seeks the help of a wise woman. The
crone instructs her to eat one of two flowers—a red one or a white one. The
queen eats both and gives birth instead to a snake. Only later on in life does
the snake get married and turn into a handsome prince.
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