Читать книгу The Element Encyclopedia of Magical Creatures: The Ultimate A–Z of Fantastic Beings from Myth and Magic - John Matthews - Страница 175

The male baboon with its colourful behind and facial mobility gives rise to myths which stress its supposed aggressive and lascivious qualities. The baboon god Babi’s phallus becomes the bolt of the door of heaven and is also the mast of the ferryman’s boat in the Underworld that conveys the dead towards their judgement. However, it is the baboon’s reverence of the rising sun, when its stands up and chitters as the first rays fall that cause him to be associated with Thoth, god of wisdom.

There are many tales about baboons raping human women in African myth. Zantegeba is the baboon who struts about the forests of Mali. His exceedingly lascivious antics are represented in annual dances by a dancer who uses two small sticks to act as forelegs. Darting into the crowd, he selects female spectators who scream and run away in case Zantegeba comes to rape them.