[[birds]], [[orality]] --- [[birds]] [[languages-of-beings]] (Gods, Men, Birds all have their own languages.) [[birds]] --- Birds are said to "chirp" and "make tunes". More than this they "talk" and have "voices" ([[yasht14.21e]]) and their own "language" ([[calin2017-dictionary]]p31-2 "bird"). Avestan Yašt 14.21e ## By Branch ### Germanic & Celtic > Sigurd the dragon-slayer attained wisdom by eating part of the dragon's heart, which gave him understanding of the speech of birds so that they could give him warning of danger. [...] Understanding the speech of birds could give a hero entry into the world of ravens and valkyries, where defeat and victory were ordained, or in more everyday terms it could mean an ability to interpret calls and movements of birds and therby recieve warning of future events. Such aspects of bird lore are referred to in the Edda poems, and in the ninth century Hrafnsmál the stanzas form a dialogue between a raven and a valkyrie. She is said to account herself wise because she understood the language of birds, and is herself described as 'the white-throated one with bright eyes', which suggests that she herself was in bird form. ([[davidson-h1988]]p86-87) ### Celtic > “[[Gwrhyr Gwastad Ieithoedd]] interpreter of tongues, it is right for you to go on this quest,” said Arthur. “You know all tongues, and can translate the language of birds and animals." (*Culhwch ac Olwen* trans.[[p-ford2019]]) ## External Links [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Language-of-the-birds)