THE ANIMALS’ SYMBOLS IN THE FRENCH LEGENDS

Abstract

The article is devoted to the study of animal symbols in French legends, which are a valuable source for the study of oral folk art. From ancient times, with the help of symbols, people marked the main values of life: love, friendship, devotion, the ability to distinguish between good and evil, and so on. The characters represent the history and culture of the nation. Examples of different legends have been analyzed in which the same image can have different meanings. In order to understand the symbolism of the animal, it was necessary to establish certain correspondences and associations, since each animal has its characteristics, which can vary depending on the culture. Very often the legends used the images of not only real animals, but also mystical ones that had supernatural power and were associated with something unknown and mysterious. Because animals have always been part of human life, the analysis of their symbolic significance is essential for studying the culture, traditions and beliefs of every nation. It was analyzed the symbols of cock, dog, snake and wolf in French legends, which, depending on the situation, can have both positive and negative connotations. For example, a cock is not only a symbol of the sun, light, economy, but also a harbinger of misery, militancy. The dog symbolizes loyalty, reliability, loyal friend, and sometimes the image of the insidious beast. One of the most interesting is the symbol of the snake, which is associated, on the one hand, with wisdom, fertility, and on the other hand with sin, death and evil. The wolf, in French legends, embodies the image of freedom, intelligence and greed, although it is sometimes a symbol of repentance and the reincarnation of evil in goodness. It is found that the symbolism of animal images is essential for the study of French folklore, which is a vivid reflection of the people about the surrounding world. It is proved that, regardless of the fact that each nation has its own language and culture, symbols for all nations have almost identical meaning.