I’ve heard that swans sing one before they die, and that it’s quite an eerie sound to hear - is this true or is just a rumour? Also, anybody know where I can find a clip of it on the net?
Cheers,
Lo.
Surprisingly neither Snopes nor the Master has addressed the issue, but I found this:
from Chaffee Zoo
It would be very interesting to find out where the myth comes from. I believe (from very vague memory) that Homer made an allusion to singing swans somewhere. Any information would be welcome!
Maven’s Word of the Day is helpful.
They say that the phrase appears first in English in 1831. And it was being lifted from the German at the time.
But they do go on to declare that the legend goes back to the Greeks.
Who said Swan Song? The late, great record label of Led Zeppelin and Bad Company…
As to the legend behind the mythical fowl sounds…I really don’t know.
The origin is actually a myth of ancient Greece:
“Although there are many swans in Greek mythology, Cygnus is not significant. There are several myths which place Cygnus in the sky. Perhaps the most accepted one is that Cygnus was a close friend of Phaeton, the son of Apollo. When Phaeton drove Apollo’s sun-chariot across the sky he lost control of the horses, causing much trouble. Zeus was so angry that he hurled a thunderbolt which instantly killed Phaeton. Cygnus then wandered the banks of the river where his friend fell, singing a sad song. The gods took pity on him and placed him among the stars as a swan.”
[quote from http://claw.org/library/room4/starbook8.shtml ]