Pica pica = Elster/= Magpie/= pestbird/in germanischen Mythologie Götterbote- (Todesgöttin Hel)/„diebische“ Elster = Hexentier.

Vergleich: Siehe: Aves- + Rekords

[Olga Fatula]

The proving of Pica pica, as well as Ciconia and Picus viridis, was aimed primarily at discovering the key features to distinguish somehow this drug from the vast group of bird remedies. This bird of the Corvidae family is widely spread everywhere in the world. Its length is 40 to 45 cm, the tail is up to 22 cm long, the wings spread to 50 cm, and the weight is up to 260 gram. A magpie is quite remarkable and easily recognized by its characteristic black-and-white plumage and an unusually long tail.

A magpie moves on the ground in jumps, occasionally it can walk in a peculiar Corvidae stroll. It is an expert in moving in treetops.

Magpies are seldom alone; one can see them more frequently in flocks of two to five birds. For the sake of security, magpies often spend the night in groups. They build several nests but occupy only one. The nest of a magpie is made from a variety of materials, from twigs to bits of iron wires.

Magpies do not migrate; they are settled birds. They often live nearby human habitation where they feed off food remainders and garbage. They hide surpluses of food in holes, which they dig out in the ground. They also settle themselves on backs of large animals and collect mite from them.

Magpies are notorious for their addiction to glittery things and their drive to “steal” from men glossy items left unkept.

A magpie often voices out some loud chirring sounds. The birds are well known for the variety and the loudness of their jabber, especially garrulous in flocks, in «a magpie bazaar ». It is noticed that magpie is capable to simulate voices of other birds. It is possible to train a magpie to “speak”; its potential “vocabulary” is not inferior to one of

a parrot.

A magpie is the only known non-mammal that can recognize itself in a mirror.

Magpies have a dual reputation among people. Some are enthusiastic about its exotic appearance, courageous and even impudent behavior, a spacious intellect.

Others exterminate them for devouring carrion and devastating nests of other birds.

Magpie is presented in many roles in the myths of various cultures. It is portrayed either as a messenger of the Gods or as a Goddess of death. Sometimes when alone it signals grief; and when in flocks it becomes an envoy of happiness. In the Middle Ages, a magpie was considered as the pupil of witches, and in Asia as the possessor of happiness and a spiritual creature amicable with people.

The origin of the name varies in different languages; the etymology traces to the meanings "black-and-white", "puff", "chatter", and “envoy".

Allerlei: Asien: Glücksbringer/nordamerikanischen Indianern = mit Mensch befreundet.

China: Freude, Eheglück

This magpie (= Elster) or squirrel tends to absorb and collect, record and store in detail for very long periods might be seen as a feature of the Calc- mentality.

Themes

Conflicts. Quarrels / Peacefulness

“I do not quarrel; I do not shout at my subordinates, though usually I row in such cases.”

“Avoid being involved into any tricky situations and “bazaars.”

“Placidity, tranquillity. Avoid being involved into wrangles with people.”

Dream: “Kittens sit; behind them there are big cats fighting. Some quarrelling among them.” - - - - -

“My husband is in a hospital. Some boy would not leave him alone, twitching and pulling him somewhere.” - - - - -

“Came home calm, cooked dinner, everything is still and quiet.”

“Husband mocked at our daughter; I did not interfere.”

“I became more peaceful in transport. If you don’t have enough room I can move aside, no problem.”

“Nothing irritates me.”

“Began talking without tension.”

“Stopped communicating with nearly all my friends.”

“I feel tension communicating with other people, I even feel irritation.”

“When talking to people I feel tense.”

“The nurse made a mistake. I did not get angry, I did everything myself, despite that it was her fault.”

“I feel more at ease communicating with people.”

“People irritate me less.

“I avoid getting involved into arguments and quarrels. What for?”

Communications. Contacts. Relatives

“Almost stopped communicating with people, especially over the phone. No interesting talks.”

“All these talks are void, there is no point in them; nobody needs it.”

Dream: “I am in a company with three of my relatives.” - - - - -

“A hospital of an old type. Plenty of people. My husband is in that hospital.” - - - - -

“Some palace, everything is beautiful. There are people inside; all of them are very nice.” - - - - -

“I feel tense communicating with people.”

“I feel much easier when talking to people, as if I know a person for hundreds of years.”

“I find myself more confident, no tension when communicating. My family and my children are with me; I love them.”

“Recollections of the friends of my youth. Here I also have friends but everything was better those days. When friends are near me and I have their support I am more confident.”

“When conversing my hearing has sharpened.”

Dream: “I am with my daughter. She is a baby; she is wrapped into napkins and a blanket. We keep walking and travelling somewhere. My mum (she is deceased) is telling me with a sad face,

“You do your business daughter; I will help you, will stay with the child.” - - - - -

“My husband is in a hospital, he is about to undergo some surgery, but I don’t feel being troubled or worried.”

“An erotic dream. I was involved into sex, anal sex with relatives.” - - - - -

Transport. Travelling

Dream: “I am with mum. We are travelling all the time. I see streets, transport, and houses.” - - - - -

“Transport, with transfers, carrying my baby everywhere with me.”

“An exotic country. Brown people.”

“Going somewhere. On the way we stooped to dig out some potatoes.”

Control. Caution. Watched

“Feeling that somebody is behind my back, desire to turn around.”

“Feeling that I can sense with my back.”

“I got a feeling of an extra caution, but not a fear.”

“Began walking more carefully, as if I am afraid to fall down.”

“Started to be more careful when crossing roads.”

“I feel anxiety if I have to come back home late.”

“Started to control situations.”

“Sensation of being divided into two parts. I watch myself from aside; one part works, the other one watches.”

“A feeling that it is absolutely necessary to find out everything to the smallest detail.”

Appetite. Food

Dream: “Much food. Various meals. Strange food. It is dark, no daylight. We taste everything. Suddenly somebody switches on the light and we see that food consists of white worms.

No disgust. I am curious what kind of worms these are and where they’ve got so many.” - - - - -

“On the way we stooped to dig out some potatoes.”

“Appetite has grown quickly. I have three breakfasts, two lunches and three dinners.”

“No appetite at all.”

Curiosity. Dribs and drabs. Tiny details.

“I pick up everything, all the information I collect by bits.”

“I assemble the information.”

“All the new facts, I insert them into what I already know, like mosaic.”

“It is fine to know the full story. Every phrase gives further information.”

“Feeling that it is necessary to clarify everything, what and how, to every small detail.”

Dream: “I am curious what kind of worms these are and where they’ve got so many.” - - - - -

“I weaved a long pigtail into my hair (a very short hairdo).”

Dream: “…stopped on the way to dig out some potatoes to sell and earn some money.” - - - - -

“If there is not enough room for you I can move aside.”

“We are collecting information by crumbs.”

Cheerful. Confident. Optimism / Pessimism

“I accepted the problem quietly, simply as a fact that occurred.”

“Optimism I am not scared about the difficulties of life.”

“Started to be giggly.”

“Cheerful, don’t feel tired. Inexhaustible whole day long.”

“Cheerful, inflow of energy.”

“Everything is perfect. Everything makes me happy, even the weather.”

“I achieved confidence in myself. I love myself now.”

“Everything is perfect. Everything is right.”

“Everything is nice. I talked peacefully and I was happy about the party.”

“I don’t want to weep. I don’t have thoughts that have disturbed me before, that I behave wrong.”

“It is such a good beginning! Everything goes so well. I have a good job that I like. I have my children with me whom I love.”

“Confidence in myself. A surge of energy.”

“My self esteem has risen.”

“My mood has fallen down sharply. Apathy. Depression.”

“Thoughts and the attitude have concentrated on the negative.”

“I have only memories left of all good things in life, if there are any at all.”

“No desires, no aspirations.”

“My thoughts are gloomy; life has no sense.”

“Nothing can help me to dispel yearn and sorrow.”

“Ennui and indifference to everything, to myself and to everyone around.”

“Serious things do not get through into my head and I don’t bother to think at all.”

“I got slower in the pace of life.”

“Tardiness. I am walking to the office, simply moving on and again. Even if I am late and a hundred of students are waiting for me I will not speed up.”

“From time to time I fall into pensiveness.”

“They took sunglasses off me. I want to straighten up.”

“Something upon my eyes, it hinders me.”

“As if something overhangs my eyes.”

“Something rushed by, some energy, a drove of horses.”

“Sensations sharpened.”

“During conversation, a feeling of an air-blast.”

“A split sensation, as if I am looking at myself laterally.”

“I like the feeling of long hair as if something hangs and hits me on my shoulders.”

“Sensation of a split watermelon inside my leg.”

“Headache, sensation as if small hammers knocks in my temples.”

“Sensation behind my back, as if somebody is there.”

“No sensations at all.”

Energy of the source

“Desire to fly, no strain.”

“Feel lightness in the body; desire to fly not to walk.”

“Food – white worms, no disgust.”

Picking everything by bits.

Physical symptoms

Generals: inflow of energy

cheerfulness

inexhaustible, untiring

ability to work, increased

slackness

weakness, no energy

Head: pain [in the occiput/in temples (“As if small hammers knocking”)]

“As if a wave hits”/”As if something sweeps by”

Eyes: DRY/dryness horrible

Lachrymation – absent/strong

“As if inflamed”/”As if something disturbs”/”As if something hanging for them”

Nose: Itching (unbearable)

”As if aching”/ ”As if cold”

Freezing - in warm room/need for external heat

Mouth: DRY/dryness (when swallowing)

itching

taste – sour/bitter

insensitive to pain

burn/ulceration, painless

Stomach: morning – nausea/heaviness

Pain (grasping/strong, in the morning, < laying/on the left side, > sitting/on the right side)

Appetite – increased/wanting/permanent

curd, sour milk, desire

Aversion: curd/alcohol;

alcohol intolerable

Extremities: cramps [toes (at night/little/big)

Tingling in toes

Itching - permanent/unbearable in ankles

Pain – burning in big toe/“As if a watermelon split in leg, big toe”

Oedema/swelling of toes

Sexuality: desire, increased/absent

Skin: eruptions – urticaria/blisters on ankles/itching in ankles

Sleep: unsound/short-time (is enough)/full of worries

deep and satisfying

falling asleep immediately

Dreams: erotic

sexual intercourse with relatives

sexual intercourse, perverse, anal

Similarity with other bird remedies

Hunger/ Eating/ Food

Contacts / Communications / Relationships

Relatives / Children / Friends (especially flock birds)

Sensation of hovering, levity, flight

Space / Rooms / Buildings

Physical: common skin problems

Mythe:

Germanischen Mythologie: Götterbotin/Vogel der Todesgöttin Hel. Assoziiert mit Unheil, Leid und Not. Im europäischen Mittelalter und zur Zeit der Hexenverfolgung galt sie – wie Krähen, Raben und schwarze Katzen auch – als Hexentier oder gar als Hexe selbst. Sie war zeitweise auch als Seelenräuberin in Verbindung mit dem Satan bekannt. Zudem wurde sie als „Galgenvogel“ mit dem Tod in persona assoziiert. Seit dieser Zeit trägt sie in Europa den Ruf, „diebisch“ zu sein. In der griechischen Mythologie war sie ein Vogel des Gottes Dionysos. Auch Ovid berichtet in seinen Metamorphosen von Elstern: Sie sind die neun Töchter des Pierus, die sich auf einen musikalischen Wettstreit gegen die Musen höchstpersönlich einließen. Nach ihrer Niederlage wurden sie von ihnen in Elstern verwandelt.

In Iranischen Erzählungen war die Elster der Feind der Heuschrecke, die sie zerstört hatte.

Im Allgemeinen gilt die Elster in Westeuropa und auf den Britischen Inseln als ein Vogel übler Omen. Dort gilt es als Unglück, diesen „Pechvogel“ zu sehen, besonders

wenn er alleine auftritt. So bringt ein bekannter Abzählreim in bestimmten Zahlen auftretende Elstern mit verschiedenen Vorzeichen in Verbindung:

Auf den Britischen Inseln gibt es noch immer Beweise für Animalismus und Tierverehrung in Bezug auf die Elster. Sie gilt auch als orakelhafter Vogel. In Irland ist eine ans Fenster klopfende Elster eine Todeswarnung. Das Töten dieses Vogels brachte auch im Nordosten Schottlands Unglück. In Teilen von Nordengland gilt es als schlechtes Omen, wenn eine Elster den Pfad vor einem von links nach rechts überquert, jedoch als gutes Omen, wenn sie ihn von rechts nach links kreuzt (Katze). Im Nordosten Schottlands gilt das Sehen dieses Vogels in einigen Dörfern als Glückszeichen, in anderen als Unglückszeichen. Der Glaube, dass die Elster die Macht habe, sich in einen Menschen zu verwandeln, wurde in Clunie und Perthshire bis zum Ende des 18. Jahrhunderts überliefert. Nach der Christianisierung entstand in England eine Erzählung,

nach der die Elster als verflucht gilt, weil sie als einziger Vogel bei Jesu Kreuzigung keine Klagelieder und Trauergesänge angestimmt habe. In der schottischen Überlieferung verdächtigte man sie lange Zeit, einen Tropfen von Satans Blut unter der Zunge zu tragen.

Frankreich und Deutschland: Es brächte Unglück eine Elster zu töten. Man sagte ihnen nach, dass sie ihre menschlichen Nachbarn vor der Anwesenheit von Füchsen, Wölfen und bewaffneten Menschen warnten. In Poitou wurden ihr zu Ehren kleine Gestecke von Heiden- und Lorbeerzweigen in die Büsche gesteckt. In Bengalen und anderen Teilen Indiens werden keine Elstern getötet.

China und Japan: Elster ist Glücksbotin (ein freudiges Ereignis, meist eine Geburt oder einen Besuch, ankündigt). Der Ursprung dieses Glaubens ist wahrscheinlich in den Legenden der Mandschurei zu finden. Dort wird erzählt, wie die Elster als heiliges Tier Fanscha, einen der Vorfahren der Mandschuren, vor den bedrohlichen Nachbarstämmen gerettet hat. Freudenbringer/Glücksbringer. In Erzählungen repräsentiert sie die Schwachen und Wehrlosen. Tritt sie metaphorisch als Gegenstück zum Tiger (Erde, Naturgewalten) auf, so steht sie für den Himmel und die göttliche Gewalt.

Nordamerikanischen Indianern: Geistwesen mit den Menschen befreundet. Dies zeigt sich in der „Buffalo Race“-Geschichte der Sioux, in der die Elster für die Menschen ein Wettrennen gegen die Büffel gewinnt, so dass sie diese fortan jagen dürfen. Auch bei den Blackfoot tritt die Elster als Verbündeter des Menschen in Konflikt mit den Büffeln auf. In der Legende vom Büffeltanz ermöglicht sie, dass eine Frau aus dem Ehegelübde mit einem Büffel befreit wird, ihr Vater ins Leben zurückgeholt werden kann und dass über einen Tanz und ein Lied die Harmonie wiederhergestellt wird. Auch bei den Hopi und den südwestlichen Stämmen ist sie ein Totemtier. Auch die Pueblo-Indianer verehrten diesen Vogel in ihren Mythen.

Vorwort/Suchen. Zeichen/Abkürzungen. Impressum.