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Just a thought the other day...
What creature (mythical or otherwise) would best represent each country of the world?
You have your boring traditional ones like:

• England -> Lion
• US -> Eagle
• Russia -> Bear
• China -> Dragon

But do you preceive them as something else because of the behaviour of their people or government? What about other countries?

FWIW, Benjamin Franklin--diplomat, inventor, polemicist, lecher--tried to get the Constitutional Congress of what became the US to approve the turkey as the national bird. He wrote in a celebrated letter to his daughter:

"For my own part I wish the Bald Eagle had not been chosen the Representative of our Country. He is a Bird of bad moral Character. He does not get his Living honestly. You may have seen him perched on some dead Tree near the River, where, too lazy to fish for himself, he watches the Labour of the Fishing Hawk; and when that diligent Bird has at length taken a Fish, and is bearing it to his Nest for the Support of his Mate and young Ones, the Bald Eagle pursues him and takes it from him.

"With all this Injustice, he is never in good Case but like those among Men who live by Sharping & Robbing he is generally poor and often very lousy. Besides he is a rank Coward: The little King Bird not bigger than a Sparrow attacks him boldly and drives him out of the District. He is therefore by no means a proper Emblem for the brave and honest Cincinnati of America who have driven all the King birds from our Country....

"I am on this account not displeased that the Figure is not known as a Bald Eagle, but looks more like a Turkey. For the Truth the Turkey is in Comparison a much more respectable Bird, and withal a true original Native of America... He is besides, though a little vain & silly, a Bird of Courage, and would not hesitate to attack a Grenadier of the British Guards who should presume to invade his Farm Yard with a red Coat on."

Wasn't Franklin the first vegetarian (noted) in America? Maybe this was his protest against turkey sandwiches.

He became a vegetarian temporarily, to help afford his purchase of books (which were expensive) while he was young. He also felt it was an inherently healthier diet than one that included meat. Typically, he reversed himself in later years, becoming a hearty meat-eater.

Well, Canada has the beaver. Don't mess with beavers.

Arguably, Canada also has the moose. Don't mess with moose either.

They also have braindead ice hockey players. Do these count as animals?

Originally posted by fable
They also have braindead ice hockey players. Do these count as animals?

Yes. Oh, but only on Saturdays.

@ fable

Funny you should mention Franklin, I was just playing Day Of The Tentacle today where Hoagie who has somehow gone back into time questions Franklin on the merits of having a Turkey and the cons of an eagle as a national symbol. It may of been a Lucas Arts game but Franklin put across a few good points. I'll try to find the game script somewhere.

Regarding the lion for England: the three lions appear on the England football shirt and the lion and the unicorn symbolises er, the Queen, I think.

But heraldry symbols aside, does the lion represent England? The British Bulldog is quite a powerful symbolic animal in London and strikes me as being quite nationalistic.

But what animal symbolises the more genteel English? How about the deer or hunting hart? That's quite Olde English.

Originally posted by Tamerlane
@ fable

Funny you should mention Franklin, I was just playing Day Of The Tentacle today where Hoagie who has somehow gone back into time questions Franklin on the merits of having a Turkey and the cons of an eagle as a national symbol. It may of been a Lucas Arts game but Franklin put across a few good points. I'll try to find the game script somewhere.

I remember reviewing that when it first came out! Fun little game. LucasArts did some of the finest graphical adventures, back then.

Animals have also been used negatively, usually by the xenophobic media of one nation (with the express permission of the political authorities) to work up hate campaigns against another. The rooster was, for example, a French symbol for the longest time, but the English referred instead to the "French fox"-- as though the French were incredibly sly and devious. (Anybody who's read up on French diplomacy and military strategy would get a hearty laugh out of that.) The Russians were called wolves, and damned with ridiculous images of wolf packs devastating peaceful villages.