How a God became a Fish
India. Sixteenth century. Kings are observed slicing themselves to
bits in the temples of the Goddess Kali. Kali…the terrible one…
whose stomach is a void which can never be filled and who…after
swallowing Shiva’s genitalia…became Minaksi…the “fish-eyed” one.
All this while in Egypt, Isis, after committing the same act… became
Abtu, the Great Fish of the Abyss. And so why…you may all well
ask…why are you telling us this stuff, Benjamin? What has this do to
with jewelry? Aha, say I in response. Wait…and you will see.
Delphos…for those of you out there dying to learn a new Greek word
whenever the chance presents itself…means both Womb and Fish. Both
Womb and Fish represent birth and life. But here’s the kicker folks.
If I were to say to one of you…hey…buddy ol’ pal…how about I
take a piece of gold in the shape of a Womb…I’ll enamel it…put
diamonds in it…and you can give it to your loved one to wear on her
lapel. If she balks…you tell her it represents life and birth. You
think it’ll work? I don’t care how open-minded she is…she ain’t
wearin’ no Womb on her lapel…life and birth notwithstanding.
However, I take another piece of gold…form it into this gorgeous
fish…enamel it with brilliant colors…set it with diamonds…and
now you offer the fish and take back the womb…ah my friends…this
is a different story. This…she will wear. The formula is simple when
it comes to adornment. Fish…yes. Womb…no.
But the inquisitive mind is never at rest. Why oh why it asks as it
tosses about restlessly on its lumpy mattress…why would anyone want
to wear a fish anyway? Who cares about life and birth and symbolism?
If that’s all you have to say about a fish…I ain’t wearin’ one.
Well…as it happens…I have more stuff to impart. Myth has it that
civilized arts came to humanity via fish-headed gods. Moon-goddesses
were often depicted as being half-fish. Those who chanced to see them
called them mermaids.
Fish play a role in religion. In honor of the fertility god Frigga…
fish is eaten on her day…Friday. In Egyptian myth…the son of King
Malek falls from a boat…drowns…and becomes known as the Fisher…
a title later to have religious affiliations. The fish head-dress of
the priests of Enki-Oannes become the miters of bishops. At the dawn
of Astrology…Ichthyos-the-fish becomes the symbol for Pisces. The
apostles were called fishers of men as they fed the multitudes. The
Fish represents yesterday’s paganism and today’s religion. The Fish
is a huge mythological figure…from Greek to Roman to Egyptian to
Hindu sagas. It lives in Celtic lore. It lives in Scottish lore. It
feeds man…it feeds the grizzlies…it’s pretty in a tank in your
living room…it’s calm as an angel fish and ferocious as a piranha.
How…I ask you…how can one “not” wear a fish? Why…it’s almost a
duty. It’s your obligation. It’s the very “raison d’etre” of your
existence. To not wear a fish on your lapel is a disloyalty to the
very human race you represent. Let us show the world, I say. Let us
show all who live that we are the Fish-Wearers who wear our fish with
pride and dignity. Of course…if one wears a fish…it would have to
be a pretty little thing. It would have to be something special. It
would have to be something that would reflect our dignity. Sweat
begins to form on our brows. Worry sets in. Our teeth are on edge. Oh
where oh where are we to get such an item. Ah…fear not my friends.
For we here at Tyler-Adam have such a beautiful fish for you that it
will knock your socks off and make your toes curl and make your heart
thump in ecstasy.
For those of you who are new to this thing called Tidbits…may I
direct you to my home page at www.tyler-adam.com where you will
scroll down the table menu till you get to the box that says
Tidbits…and inside the box where it says Tidbit Graphics…click on
the link that says: Fish…where you will see a rendering of our
pretty enameled creature set with diamonds.
And there ya have it.
That’s it for this week folks.
Catch you all next week.
Benjamin Mark
Tel: 1-800-20-TYLER
E-Mail to: webmaster@tyler-adam.com