Owls often come up in the myths and legends. Sometimes, they are good and wise; in others, they signify evil and doom to come.

Here’s one where the owls represent wisdom:

Athena is the Greek goddess of wisdom and is often portrayed with an owl as a companion. How did that come to be?

Homer tells a story in which Athena gets fed up with her sidekick: a pet crow who happens to be a total prankster.

So, she seeks out a new companion. In her search, she gets impressed with the owl’s wisdom and level of seriousness. She then picks this nocturnal animal as her mascot.