Survey

of India, ii, p. 59). Goose. In Egypt Seb—the earth—is a goose, “the great cackler” who lays the gold egg—the sun. The goose was early tamed by Egyptians, though they had neither ducks nor fowls as domestic birds. In India Brahma rides the goose (see Hansa), and in mythology it is often confused with the swan, which is the great emblem of white, and snow, clouds. The goose is an emblem of Frey, and the swan of Freya, among the Norse. The swan was sacred to the sea god Niord. Ru ian folk-lore abounds with tales of geese, swans, and ducks.