Athenian Owl Coin |
Because of its night vision, the owl is venerated by several Native American groups and in India owl's eyeballs are a delicacy with the power to make one see in the dark. Owl feathers are a charm to induce sleep, and in some cultures bring about an easy delivery in childbirth.
A pious legend tells how Christ visited a baker's shop and asked for a cake; the parsimonious baker's daughter reduced the size of the dough by half and was transformed into an owl as punishment for her meanness.
Owls can see in the dark but become blind in bright light. The same is true of many scholars. They know many unnecessary scholarly trifles but do not know, or want to know, the most important science needed for life -- how you should live in this world.