Top 12 Ball Lightning Folklore from Around the World: #7 Will Send Chills Down Your Spine

3. The Thunderbird's Eggs of Native American Lore

Among several Native American tribes, especially those of the Pacific Northwest, ball lightning is sometimes connected to the mythological Thunderbird. Said to be massive birds able to produce thunder with their wing pounding and discharging lightning from their eyes. Certain customs hold that ball lightning is the eggs of these strong entities. The stories go that occasionally Thunderbirds drop their eggs, which seem like brilliant orbs falling to earth, while they fight fiercely in the heavens. Considered holy and loaded with great power are these eggs. According to certain legends, courageous warriors or shamans who caught these heavenly eggs acquired remarkable skills or insight. But the legends also caution about the perils of upsetting or misusing these holy artifacts. A shattered or damaged Thunderbird egg is supposed to cause terrible storms or release vindictive spirits. In other variations of the story, the eggs are said to have a mind of their own and may roll over the ground or perhaps float through the air in search of a secure location to hatch. The egg mythology of the Thunderbird not only clarifies the phenomena of ball lightning but also supports Native American conviction on the interdependence of natural events and spiritual energies. This folklore reminds us of the respect and regard these societies have for the strong powers of nature, therefore promoting a harmonic coexistence with the surroundings and its secrets.