squirrel

The squirrel's common name can be traced back to the ancient Greeks, where Aristotle used the word "skiouros," skia meaning shade, while "oura" meaning tail. Thus the meaning "he who sits in the shadow of his tail" was recorded for posterity. It is said that centuries later, the French created a noun "écureuil" to describe this animal. From this the word "squirrel" was derived. It is a symbol for the soul in Nordic myth and in medieval times it denoted one who was a provider toward the future. It is also said that the first bearer was a lover of woodland, trustworthy and with a strong sense of duty. The squirrel's nest is called a holt or a drey and the squirrel emblem may be an allusion to the family name of "Holt." The squirrel is one of the very few wild animals that is trusting enough to eat from a person's hand, so one of its lessons is for people to learn to drop their defenses, and learn to trust more. Another lesson is that there's time for everything in life. Squirrels teach us to rest, work, and play and balance life!