Augury

21 x 28 cm ✦ Indian and coloured ink on paper

The pike has a special part to play in old folklores of the Finnish, Karelian and Sámi peoples, with various beliefs connected to it. This respected and even feared creature was in some myths thought to have supernatural powers, like ability to travel down into the world of the dead and back. When fishing, if you happened to catch an unusually large pike, it could be seen as a death omen; a sign that you'd soon be traveling to the beyond along with the monstrous fish.

Folklore around the pike isn't all about death, though. Some peoples thought it to be the ancestor and protector of all fish, and it's bones were believed to have magical powers. They could be used in divination or spellcasting, usually to ask for a good harvest. Some people would even keep a "pet" pike in a well or a spring, to give protection and bring good fortune to it's keepers.

I feel like nowadays these myths are mostly treated as just tales, but they tell a fascinating story on the significance this animal used to bear to the people living in this part of the world.