The sky god rises to power
Gaia predicted that her son , Kronos , would one day have a son even greater than himself . Kronos was so frightened that he gobbled up his children as soon as they were born . The children ’ s mother , Rhea , was , understandably , upset . So when Zeus , baby number six , was born , she wrapped up a stone instead of the new baby . Kronos ( not being very bright ) happily swallowed the stone instead of Zeus .
Zeus was hidden away by Rhea . He grew up and rescued his brothers and sisters from Kronos ’ stomach .
Zeus became the King of the Gods . He and his brothers and sisters fought and defeated Gaia ’ s other children ( giants and Cyclopes , etc ) and became the main gods . Now Zeus , the male sky god , ruled the gods .
Caring Mother Earth
Gaia did , however , remain very special ; after all , all living creatures on Earth were born directly from her body . She nurtured and provided the food that all living things needed in order to survive .
The Greeks wrote a hymn to her long after Zeus was recognised as King of the Gods : ‘ About Earth will I sing , all-mother , deep-rooted and eldest , who feeds all that there is in the world , all that go on the divine land , all that sail on the sea and all that fly ’.
The belief that Earth was a mother goddess who nourished everything on the planet was ancient , even by the times of the Greeks . Little stone , bone or clay models , which seem to be figures of her , were carefully created by people as long as 30,000 years ago .
Mother Earth today
And the attraction of a Mother Earth continued … In 1970 , scientist James Lovelock put forward the Gaia hypothesis . He suggested that the planet is a selfregulating living organism , which keeps the world ’ s elements in harmony and sustains life . She isn ’ t conscious or aware but , like the Chinese ‘ Five Element ’ theory ( wuxing ), Earth is a motherly energy . She supplies the gifts for life on Earth . Similarly , Native American belief identifies Earth as a supplier of plentiful goodies . Humans have always thanked Mother Earth for feeding us and we have worshipped her in return .
Perhaps we too should find ways to thank Mother Earth and care for the planet that provides everything we , and all the Earth ’ s creatures , need to live ?
Words : Gillian Hovell . Illustration : Chad Grohman
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