We humans have a complex relationship with our creature cousins. They are sometimes our food, clothing or transportation, and as such animals have entered as complex characters in early mythological images. In the case of the animal that was the subject of the hunt, in myth it was also seen as the willing provider of food, so in that case, animals have a complex role in both providing the food and also assuaging the guilt of killing.

Animals are sometimes in life and in story our companions and helpers. We often anthropomorphize them, such that the most prized animals are seen to embody a valued human trait (i.e., dog/loyalty) better than any human image can represent that trait. In art, animals can evoke reverence and beauty, but also fear and repulsion.