for the birds

[marycatelli]

Sometimes you just have to put down the pen and research.  Let's hear it for the web, which helps minimize the time. . . but it's got to be done.

Because while it was all very well, to throw in that the dove maidens celebrate the feast of the patron saint of doves (St. David, March 1), and note casually that other bird maidens would celebrate others. . .

But the new dove maiden would find that an Educational Experience, since she's new to all of this.  So the burning question is, which birds would be next.

Not something that can be finagled about, since the story's going to have to shift in time to fit (the date won't!), or shift subtly in structure.

At least it doesn't need a definitive list of all shapeshifters in this world.  Just the ones so concentrated in the town that they will celebrate here, with visitors, instead of being the visitors elsewhere.

Unsurprisingly, some wild animals and wild birds don't have patron saints, or even saints that they feature in a iconography of. (Spoonbills, anyone?)   I'm going to have to do some world-building.

Comments

[marfisa.livejournal.com]

Wouldn't St. Francis of Assisi do for any species that doesn't have a specific patron saint of its own? Or at least any bird species?

[marycatelli]

I'm trying to avoid a common saint for all if only because it would be very awkward if a whole bunch were celebrating at once.

Or perhaps they do a common patron saint all together, but also want to do their own individual bird/beast