The Legend of Ursa Major Ursa Major: this constellation, in addition to the belt stars of Orion, is probably the most easily recognizable star pattern in the northern skies. These stars are important in that they belong to a circumpolar constellation and also because of their usefulness in pointing to the pole star Polaris. The dim star Alcor visible above Mizar, the second star in the handle of the Dipper, figures in many legends.
Mesopotamia: the seven stars of the Big Dipper were called the Long Wagon by the Sumerians.
Greece: Callisto was one of Zeus' many lovers. They met after the unfortunate damage caused following the disastrous ride of Phaëthon in the sun chariot. Zeus was checking on a particularly favorite spot of his, the land of Arcadia, when he first set eyes on the beautiful nymph Callisto. Two variations exist concerning her story and why she appears as a bear. In one story, Callisto is turned into a bear by Hera after she gave birth to Zeus' son Arcas. Arcas grew into a great hunter as a young man. Callisto seeing her son in the woods attempted to approach him but could only growl. Seeing the bear advance on him, Arcas drew his spear. To protect the son from killing his own mother, Zeus changed Arcas into a bear as well and placed them both in the sky well within Hera's sight every night of the year. Hera's reward was that the two could never drink from the sea. An explanation for the great lengths of the bear's tails lies in the fact that Zeus grabbed them both by their tails and swung them over his head before flinging them upward. The tails stretched. In the second variation of this sad story, Zeus himself turns Callisto into the bear to hide her from Hera. Hera guarantees that the boy grows to be an excellent hunter and makes sure that Callisto is in the right place at the wrong time when she confronts her son. See the Greek legend of Boötes.
Algonquin and Iroquois: several Native American legends exist concerning the stars of Ursa Major, Boötes and the Corona Borealis. The Bear is represented by the four stars of the bowl in Ursa Major. Bear is hunted by Robin, Chickadee, Cowbird, Pigeon, Blue Jay and two Owls as represented by the stars of the handle in Ursa Major and several of the stars in Boötes. The Pan is the dim double star Alcor in Ursa Major. The Den is represented by two stars in Boötes and the circle of the Corona Borealis. As Bear awakens from hibernation in the spring, she leaves her Den. She is pursued by the Hunters as represented by the Birds throughout the year. Chickadee carries a Pan, the tiny star Alcor, in which she is planning to cook the meat of Bear. By the end of the fall all but the first three Hunters have given up following Bear. These Hunters, stars in Boötes have already set. The remaining Hunters catch Bear in late autumn and she rises up on her hind legs to protect herself. Robin hits her with an arrow and Bear falls over. These changes in the direction of the animal are explained by the apparent change in the position of the constellation as viewed during this time of the year. Bear is cut up and cooked in winter, her skeleton remaining in the sky while the constellation lies on its back. Her spirit has already entered another Bear hibernating in her Den in Corona Borealis. See the Native American legend of Corona Borealis.
Anonymous legend: a saucepan with a tiny man sitting on the handle (Alcor) waiting for the contents of the pan to boil so he can remove it from the fire. This would signal the end of the world.
Arabic legend: the slow movement of the stars of the bear around the pole star suggested to some people the procession of a funeral. The stars of the bowl were called the Coffin. Peoples in the Persian Gulf area saw the constellation as the representation of the funeral procession of al-Naash who was assassinated by al-Jadi, the Pole Star. The stars of the handle were his children with Mizar as his daughter carrying her tiny son, the dim star Alcor. Later, the constellation was identified as the Litter of Lazarus with the stars of the handle associated with the women Mary, Martha, and Mary Magdalene following behind.
Aztecs: it is Texcatlipoca, a dark god associated with death and the north. One of his feet is missing and is thought to have been eaten by a heavenly monster. This shows that the entire constellation isn't visible from the part of Mexico where the story originated since the star that represents the missing foot is below the horizon within that area.
Basques of northern Spain: the stars represent 2 bulls being followed by 2 thieves and all are watched by the herdsman and his male and female slaves. The eighth star of the constellation, Alcor, is seen as a small dog just above the second bull. Other variations have this eighth star a rat that gnaws at the straps on the yoke of the bulls.
Celtic legend: the Great Bear is associated with King Arthur whose name is derived from Arth or Bear and Uthyr or Luminous. The rest of the constellation was called Arthur's Wagon.
Chinese: the 7 stars are the images of the 7 astronomical Rectors who are the masters of the reality of heavenly influences.
Hindu: the 7 brightest stars of the Great Bear are the homes of the 7 Rishi or primordial sages.Back to the Constellations
