I have collected information about the cow from four cultures: Native American, Indian, Egyptian and Norse. Within the lores of India, Egypt and Norway, the cow is associated with water, birth, fertility, and creation. Native Americans, it seems did not associate much with domesticated animals, their cow was the ‘buffalo’, who provided wealth but was not associated with creation.

 
Native Americans, however have attributed totem properties to the cow (some are similar to buffalo): nourishment, sacred aura, sturdiness, ability to stand one’s ground, motherly (or parental) instincts, standing for truth, ability to spot danger and opportunity, sacrifice for the greater good, compassion.

Modern Wisdom

Unable to locate information about cow behavior outside the farm studies relating to proper factory farming, so I am leaving this section open.

Global Folktales

Rather than find folktales, I found the myths from three cultures.

In Norway, “As the ice melted, the drops formed yet another creature - with udders and horns: a colossal cow by the name of Audhumla. She had so much milk that it flowed from her huge teats like great rivers.” (source) (sic)

In Egypt, Hathor, or Mehet-Weret, the celestial cow was known as the goddess of waters, creation and rebirth. (The version also known as Isis, having cow ears, is pictured to the right.)*

In India, Kamadhenu “appeared on earth as one of the precious things that were brought to light in the Churning of the Ocean.” (source)

It is interesting to note that in each of these stories, no cow is depicted the same. In the Norse version, it looks like a true cow, in the Indian version; the body of a cow, with a tail of a peacock is adorned with breasts and head of a human lady with horns of a cow. In the Egyptian versions, one is a cow with decorated horns, while in the other, a woman with cows decorated cow’s horns or a woman with cow ears, as pictured in the photo to the right.

Though I could not find any stories or myths about cows from Native American lore, they did have the cow totem (as above). I also believe the Native American ‘cow’ was the buffalo as the buffalo seemed to hold very similar significance for the Native Americans (giving life in many ways).

Sayings Associated / Idioms about Cows

“Cash Cow” – Something that offers a steady income.  
“Have a cow” – Become angry or upset about something.

“Hit the bull’s eye”- To get to the point or meaning of something.

“Take the Bull by the horns.” – Take action.

“Holy cow.” – Astonished.

“Until the cows come home.” – A long wait”

“Chewing one’s cud” – Pondering, ruminating, meditating, over-analyzing.

“Milking for all it’s worth.” – Get t     he most out of something.

“Sacred cow.” – Long standing, unchangeable ideas, traditions, ideas, behaviors.

          (Most believe that ‘sacred cow’ originated in India. But, as this article notes various myths, can this saying be related exclusively to India?)

Personal Reflections

I find it interesting that the cow comes in my dream at this point in my life, when I am kind of at a crossroads, also kind of doing mundane daily tasks. I needed to be reminded the importance of these tasks and how they do contribute to the greater good.

Cows are indeed amazing animals. Were cows really put on earth for us to factory farm their milk and meat? In trying to research sites for ‘cow behavior,’ I came up with sites describing cow behavior on farms and how their conditions can be improved. Did cows ask to be put on earth to be treated like this, and if we eat products from cows treated like this, what are we promoting? Cows are gentle, giving animals. They are giving more to humans, especially in the beef eating world, more than humans are crediting them for. I guess in the face of all cows have to put up with from humans, they have to be sensitive, forgiving, compassionate, and many other qualities that come hard for most humans because they have to in order to survive as a species. If they were not compassionate, forgiving and non-violent would they want to survive or reproduce knowing their friends would all just be ‘milked for all their worth?’

* Some sites I referred to mentioned Hathor and Mehet-Weret were the same being; others mentioned these two names referred to two different beings. I am also not the first to link Hathor and Kamadhenu as described in the article Evoking Egyptian Ethos.

Other cow posts on my site:  One part affects the whole: Thoughts on the current beef recall  |  Cow Burps Contribute to Global Warming  |  Maatu Pongal (Cow worship day)  |  My cow photos

Related Sites:  Animal Idioms  |   Cow Medicine  |  Bull-Cow  |  Hathor in Myth, Form, and Symbol (see the decorated Egyptian cow)  |  Egyptology  |  Kamadhenu

Thank you for reading.

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 Updated December 2011