Jan
Cows, Assets and the Fehu Rune
The cow is an apt symbol for Fehu. Until fairly recently, families in rural Scandinavia would keep a milk cow. It was a steady source of milk for the family. Before refrigeration, much of the milk would be turned into butter or cheese to preserve it. The cow was a necessity, and it was cared for and protected.
A family that had more than one cow could use the extra milk, cheese and butter to sell or trade. In rural areas, milk was a commodity just like carrots, beans, apples or fish. It could be sold or bartered. Milk was money. A family that had more cows had more milk, and thus it was like having more money. This is one way in which cattle represented prosperity.
Cattle still represent prosperity. Cattlemen of the West count their wealth by the number of cattle they own. In fact, asking a man how much cattle he owns is considered as rude as asking how much money he has in the bank. Cattle is as much a commodity as oil, coal or grain.
The Eastern cattle are mostly dairy cows. Again, cows represent units of wealth. The farmer’s ability to profit is determined by how many milk cows he owns. More cows mean more milk, and that means more profit. Once again, milk translates to money.
The Fehu Rune represents assets. Its symbol is cattle. By looking at cattle, we can get a good idea of the nature of assets. The symbol may be ancient, but it exists in the everyday world today as an asset. Milk farming and the dairy industry are but one manifestation of this Rune. They are good examples for illustrating the principles behind wealth, profit and assets.
