TY - BOOK AU - Cook,Albert S. AU - Cynewulf AU - Pitman,James Hall TI - The Old English Physiologus T2 - Yale Studies in English: LXIII AV - PR PY - 2004/// CY - Salt Lake City, UT PB - Project Gutenberg KW - Exeter book KW - Bestiaries KW - Animals -- Folklore -- Early works to 1800 KW - Didactic poetry, English (Old) KW - Animals -- Folklore -- Poetry N1 - Three short poems of the Exeter book: The panther, The whale, and The partridge; often ascribed to Cynewulf; Release date is 2004-12-30; Produced by David Starner, Ben Beasley and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team; Original publication data not identified N2 - "The Old English Physiologus" by Cynewulf is a collection of three poetic writings likely composed during the early medieval period. This work serves as a bestiary, offering moral and religious lessons derived from various creatures. Unlike typical bestiaries that include numerous animals, this text focuses on specific allegorical interpretations of a panther, a sea monster (asp-turtle), and a partridge, reflective of the era's fascination with nature's symbolism. The content revolves around the unique characteristics and lessons associated with each of the chosen animals. The panther, depicted as kind and enchanting, symbolizes Christ, with its beauty representing divine glory and the fragrance of redemption that draws followers to God. The asp-turtle, likened to a deceptive fiend, warns against the perils of temptation and the treachery of evil that ensnares the unwary. Lastly, the partridge serves as a metaphor for the soul's journey; just as the partridge raises chicks from stolen eggs, the narrative conveys a message about reclaiming one's true divine parentage. Each creature's portrayal not only engages the reader's imagination but also invites reflection on deeper spiritual truths embodied in the narratives. (This is an automatically generated summary.) UR - https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/14529 ER -