Each individual has a different conception of what a mythological creature looks like. Many, like the unicorn and Pegusus, have an idealized structure that works well under any circumstance. The dragon, as well as gryphon and elvenkind, however are as varied as the stars -- each person creating something of their own mind, straying from the path of constistancy. They are not held to one path, to one destiny as others are. More creativity is given to the unicorn and Pegasus than is to one creature -- that creature being the Phoenix. All the time that I have been enamored with this singular immortal being, I have seen the same storyline played over and over again; it has gotten to the point that I am no longer drawn in by any author writing about it.
What is wrong with these stories that disgusts me? I am not complaining about the writing -- it is as good as I could hope to achieve, but there is no originality anymore. There are several factors that I see being repeated:
It is the sum of these factors that have led me on my own path -- one far and away from the mainstream. In reading an anthology on mythological beasts, I saw two stories on the Phoenix -- one placed him as female and the other as male. Depending on what myth you read, the Phoenix is either male, female or aesexual. For myself, I chose to believe him male, and therefore when talking about Phoenixes, this is how I shall refer -- unless I'm talking about myself, but that's a whole other story. How do I view the Phoenix? I'll get to that in a moment, for first I must point out other reasons for my dislike of the "conventional" treatment. It truly disgusts me to see this noble and entrancing creature reduced to a mere pet of humans; that it must sit on a gilded perch and be looked at. A being of fire, Fire himself, made to be a living art object? Nonsense!
Dragons, gryphons, unicorns, elfs, etc. are not demoted to this petty subjection. Of all, the Phoenix is never given the ability to speak, unless he is the character in the second story I viewed in the mythological anthology (but he was in human form, a nice touch I must add) -- but never does he speak in his true form. To go further, I shall bring up JK Rowling's interpretation with Fawkes. Being the Harry Potter fan that I am, I thought this new twist on fantasy would bring, well, a new twist. However, I was sad to see yet another swan-sized Phoenix sitting on a perch and mute. Yet another pampered, calm, good-natured Phoenix for the records that cries tears of healing. When will people wake up and see that this line of interpretation is getting very old and very quickly?
Thus I bring up my own interpretation of the immortal bird. As you can see from my site, you will NOT find a swanlike bobble for humanity anywhere. You see a giant raptor with an eagle's head, grey, diamond-shaped eyes and an attitude. From my History of the Vahazayi, you learn of their origins. THIS is the Phoenix I see, the Phoenix I am proud to call my avatar and my soul. There is no singularity here, no bird ready for the pot, nothing that is in any good mental health to play pretty for any human . . . They are not deterred by their immortality; they have hobbies, lives outside the restriction of the cycle. They are sarcastic, vile, dirty, good-natured, kind, fall in love, have problems . . . in short, they are unique. Each is a different color, no two are the same; each falls into one of three categories, Eagle-Head, Hawk-Head, and Falcon-Head. These are the Vahazayi and you shall never look at the gilded songbird the same way again.
