Phoenix

The Phoenix is a mythological bird originating in, possibly, the Proto-Asatic mythology. The word phoenix is a translation convention, used to render the native names of the bird. In English, the word phoenix is used in almost every case, though the Beringian name rouchele can be used to emphasise that this bird is not the same as this phoenix.

It lives several centuries and lays a single egg in its whole life (the bird seems to be hermaphrodite), and, upon its dying moment, sets itself afire. Shortly after that, the egg hatches and a new rouchele is born.

Independently found in both Coeric and Arazi myths, later contacts between the cultures levelled out the differences.

Names
The bird was known as rulcele in Classical Arazi, roughly meaning "fire-bird" and as rėljill [ˈreːlʲɟɪl] (meaning the same) in Coeric.

The Beringian term for this bird is a clear borrowing from Arazi - rouchele [ru.ʃɛl].

Other Classical Arazi names for the being include lulcele (flame bird) and raratsvena (the rejuvenating one).

Appearance
The rouchele is described as being a huge bird (the size of a horse or bigger), similar to a rooster with the neck of a swan, head of an eagle and the tail of a peacock, though the exact birds named as reference may somewhat vary. Both its peak and talons are incredibly sharp and copper coloured. The plumage of the bird is said to be either deep black or dark grey, with the feathers of the wings being bright red and yellow, so that when the bird isn't flying, the bright feathers cannot be seen. The rouchele has only one eye, set in the middle of its head above the beak.

Associations
The phoenix is closely associated with the Sun and the Spirit of Sun in Obenism. Its rebirth resembles the seasons, namely, the Winter solstice, after which the days grow longer = the Sun has been reborn. The rouchele is also a symbol of cyclic activities, like the seasons, repetition of history and the human life. Sometimes it is used as a symbol for blind faith in fate and the Divine (setting itself on fire just because it believes it will be reborn) and devotion to a single religion (the single eye sees just in one direction).

The one-eyed head is a widely recognized symbol of religious ascetics.