Albatross: A symbol of good luck or bad luck?

 

Albatross is a type of seabird belonging to the genus Diomedeidae, found mainly in Antarctica, South America, around the Pacific Ocean. There have been various beliefs about this bird among sailors since ancient times. According to some, this bird is a carrier of good fortune, or as a sign of great danger. Why such thoughts? Does it really have anything to do with fate? Before learning about this, let us know some general information about albatross.

This giant bird is considered to be the most efficient traveler among vertebrates. They can fly hundreds of miles continuously. They spend most of their lives in the sky, landing during the breeding season. When it comes to its features, first of all we have to talk about its giant wings. Each wing is up to 12 feet long. They survive by eating squid, fish, crabs and some other aquatic animals. So far, a total of 22 species have been identified, some of which are on the verge of extinction and others are endangered. Albatrosses lay only one egg a year. The baby hatches within three weeks of laying, and the parents take care of the baby for another three weeks. Babies learn to fly in about 3-10 months, and at some point they leave home and fly away.

The oldest bird ever identified is an albatross. The 60-year-old bird's name is Wisdom. Zoologist Chandler Robbins wore a ring on his leg in 1958. The bird has traveled about seven million miles in its lifetime, and has now returned to shore to lay its eggs. The world's oldest bird has laid eggs about 40 times after laying the ring, the last of which was laid on February 1, 2021.

Wisdom; image source: theguardian.com

There is a popular saying about albatrosses - 'An albatross around your neck', which is basically used to mean terrible misfortune. The albatross is basically a seabird, which in ancient times was considered a symbol of good luck by sailors. At that time most of the sailors were superstitious. They believed that albatrosses contained the souls of dead sailors and protected ships from any misfortune. Some sailors also considered it a symbol of bad luck. They thought that following the albatross meant the death of one or the other sailor. Fortunately or unfortunately, killing albatrosses was forbidden. Everyone believed that killing Albatross would bring down the curse on the ship. The poem 'The Rime of the Ancient Mariner' by the British author Samuel Taylor Coleridge highlights the good and bad aspects of Albatross at the same time.

Samuel Taylor Coleridge; image source: people.howstuffworks.com

At the beginning of the poem, an old sailor calls a young man to tell his story. The young man was going to a wedding party. In the middle the old sailor blocked his way. At first he didn't want to hear, but seeing the sailor's bright eyes, the young man couldn't help it anymore. In the words of the author,

The Wedding-Guest sat on a stone:

He cannot choose but hear;

And thus spake on that ancient man,

The bright-eyed mariner.

The old sailor begins the story of one of his voyages. At the beginning of that journey the sea was calm. The sky was clear and the weather was fine. Suddenly nature became turbulent. A gigantic storm arose at sea, and the ship sank southward. When caught in a storm, they are trapped in a sea of ​​fog and ice.

A ship caught in a storm by an artist; image source: wallpaperaccess.com

That's when an albatross began to fly around the ship. Sailors are happy to see it as a symbol of good luck. The sailors began to feed the bird, and at the same time the ship cut through the ice. But the fog had not yet cleared. One day the old sailor killed the bird with his cross bow. At first the sailors got angry because of the stems. But soon after the bird was killed, the weather began to improve and the fog cleared. The sailors started praising him again.

Twas right, said they, such birds to slay,

That bring the fog and mist.

Then one day the wind stopped. The sailors were stranded at sea because there was no wind in the ship. Day after day they float in the sea. They run out of drinking water. Despite having water all around, there is not a drop of water to drink. This part of the author's description is known to many.

Water, water every where,

Nor any drop to drink.

Sailors blame Albatross's killer for their plight. He cursed her repeatedly and hung the dead albatross around her neck. This is the origin of the proverb 'An albatross around your neck'.

The dead bird is hung around the neck of the old sailor; image source: michellerafter.com

Then a ship was seen approaching them from the west. As the ship approached, it was seen to be a life-and-death ship. The lives of sailors on the ship were being gambled on. The game decides that all sailors will be put to death and freed from suffering. But the old sailor who killed the bird will be kept alive. Punishment for survival. One by one, all on board the ship fell to their deaths. Only the old sailor survives, with the dead albatross hanging around his neck. The dead eyes all around seemed to curse him, all the strange creatures floating around, the sailor floating in the sea with a miserable life.

Then one day the sailor saw some snakes floating beside the ship. For some unknown reason, love for snakes grows in his mind, and the sign of sin, the dead albatross, comes out of his throat. Freed from punishment, the sailor returned to his homeland. He decided to bring this incident to the attention of the people as an expiation for his sins. It is possible to attain nearness to the Creator by loving the Creator's creation - this message is conveyed to all.

In fact, the bird's involvement with fate is nothing more than a superstition. The idea that the ‘albatross is a symbol of good fortune’ originated from the myths that sailors have been saying since ancient times. Author Samuel Taylor Coleridge's poem conveys the message of love to the Creator's creation by impressing the relationship of good or bad with birds.

Language: English

Topic: This article is about the belief on albatros whether it brings fortune or misfortune.

References:

1. albatross | Britannica

2. Wisdom the albatross, the world's oldest known wild bird, has another chick at age 70 | The Guardian

3. The Literary Origin of the Phrase 'To Have an Albatross Around Your Neck' Mentalfloss

4. Birdlore: Albatross: The Lucky Charm? | World-bird-sanctuary

5. Rime of the Ancient Mariner: Summary and Analysis Study

Featured Image: Wikimedia Commons