The legend of the phoenix has been in the popular imagination since ancient civilizations. This magical, mythical bird has been a part of the plot since time immemorial. Even today, you would find mention of the phoenix, in books, tales and movies. A city in the United States is named after this bird, which rises from its ashes and the "Harry Potter" movie series has it interwoven in many sub-plots.

Just like any story that originated as an oral tradition, the context varied from teller to teller. Each story teller would put his or her own spin on the story, changing tiny aspects that influenced the next story teller. The origination of the myth is widely debated and the story cannot be nailed down to one specific place or time. The oral tradition has not only changed the story, but also the origination of the story as time has progressed.

Certain aspects of the myth have remained unchanged, though history has tampered the myth itself. The phoenix is believed to be a supernatural creature, capable of living a minimum of a thousand years without being sick or injured. Such an incredible lifespan! Some believe that disease and drought can affect the lifespan of the bird to the extent it would enter its life's next phase.

The phoenix continues to live for a hundred years, or could succumb to an injury or disease. At this juncture in its lifespan, it gathers twigs, braches and woods not to create a nest, but an ancient funeral pyre. This pyre was used in ancient cultures to dispose of the dead, and some cultures continue the practice even today. In some cultures, personal artifacts are also burned with the dead body and some require that the spouses burn themselves at the pyre of their mate.

The phoenix then burns itself at the lit pyre, though it is here that many versions of the whole myth start taking shape. Some say that the phoenix doesn't require these items to ignite it but has an inherent capability of self-igniting without requiring any fuel. There are differing opinions as to what happens after the phoenix is burned.

There is unanimity that the phoenix burns it to ashes, and rises again to live another thousand years. This makes the phoenix the champion against all kinds of adversity and a symbol of hope for many organizations and groups. This cycle is repeated again and again by the phoenix.

Another variation on this story is that the fire consumes the bird, which has time to lay an egg in the ashes before being completely consumed. This egg hatches a new phoenix, who will live to be a thousand years old before having an offspring in the same method, thus continuing the life cycle of the bird. No one is sure which version of the story is true, but the gist of triumph over adversity is the same.

No one knows how this story began in the first place. Some believe that a story was created around a fire-colored bird that was captured long ago, while others say the phoenix was actually a raven that used to dance in the embers of a dying fire.

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