Summary
A widespread mythological motif found in cultures from Northern America to Slavic traditions. A young man discovers a feathered robe or skin of a swan maiden (goddess-like creature) temporarily shed to assume human form. He attempts to hide the feathers to possess her, but the maiden finds them, assumes animal form, and departs, symbolizing the loss of youthful innocence and passage to maturity. In some versions, the swan dies; in Greek mythology, the swan song is the beautiful song sung before death.
Classification
Canon Statuscanonical
Categorymythology
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