Weasels

The word "weasel" currently denotes a plethora of small creatures, often seen as crafty and shady in media. These creatures in their real-world variants are almost always members of Mustela.

## Name

In modern-day English, the word weasel denotes a group of mammals, some of which are known in the genus of mustela. In older times, the word weasel was applied to what we now denote as the least weasel, in contrast to other mustelids where English was developed, which were given other names: the ermine and stoat which were both applied to the short-tailed weasel. Then there's the mink; the polecat; and the ferret. This means that back in the day English-speakers felt that there were many differences between each of these animals, and weren't really the same in nature. These days the word has been added to other, non-UK native mustelids' names to denote them as looking and acting similar to least weasels, thus turning the word weasel into a suffix for many animal species rather than just one. In 1800 a translation/adaption of Carl Linneaus' A General System of Nature categorized a North American creature that may have either been a skunk or a badger as the Straited Weesel. So as one can see the word has evolved with time.

According to wiktionary, weasel derives from the Proto-Germanic word *\*wisulǭ*. This word meant something like "polecatty". That word derives from Proto-Indo-European's *\*weys* which effectively means stinky. Though nowadays we don't think of weasels as smelly due to rarely encountering them, ultimately their name means "smelly". In this way they are rather like the skunk, but they have lost their reputation over the years, as less and less people (and especially, Americans) encounter them.

The word "weasel" isn't often used as a noun to describe other things, though there are several. A weasel coot or weasel duck is a young male or young to adult female smew.  A weasel cat may refer to the Central African oyan, which funnily enough shares its second name with that of a species of weasel. It might also be used for Asiatic linsangs. There is a species of armadillo that was apparently once called a weasel-headed armadillo. It's possibly the six-banded armadillo, but I'm not that good on my armadillo identification yet. There is a lemur that is referred to as a weasel in its common name, the weasel [sportive] lemur. There could be some or all spiders in Solpugidae, but I can't find it easily.

## Reputation

In modern Euramerican culture "weasels" are typically portrayed in television and books as wily but silly villains. These villains are con-artists who want things that are obviously bad and they will trick or threaten characters into trying to get what they want. However they're cowardly and run away easily. They are easily to defeated. They can go solo (but aren't the Big Bad) or work together with others as underlings. They are sometimes portrayed in early 1900s styles and there are a few associations with them wielding guns. They are ugly. They are always male. They may also be prone to silliness and laughing, like hyenas. Examples of these portrayals include: Who Framed Roger Rabbit (movie), Sonic The Hedgehog, Zootopia, and Merrie Melodies.  The term "axis of weasels" dates back to 2003 during America's War on Iraq. Depending on the source it refers to Germany and France, and sometimes a third country. It is in reference to Germany and Frances initial refusal to participate in the war, to which they were dubbed as "cowardly", and a little treacherous for refusing their assistance. Hence to be like a cowardly, unhelpful weasel who only thinks of himself and will leave his friends behind when the going gets tough. This is also referenced in the phrase attributed to Steven Wright, "*Eagles may soar, but weasels don't get sucked into jet engines*" which describes how an eagle can take a risk and go high, but might die, whereas a weasel connivingly keeps his head and ambitions low so that he might not die. And yes, I know I connected those two just as how they were connected on the older Wikipedia article. Bite me.

Speaking of Wikipedia, the phrase "weasel words" is so important that it has its own code, {{Weasel}}. This shows that the section or sentence(s) is/are "weasel words". Weasel words, as per Wikipedia's lingo, define a statement that suggests ambiguity but is meant to lead the reader on. So for example, "some people believe that weasels are tricksters" is a weasel word statement, especially if it has little place in the neutrality of the article. However, it may still be true.

There are other phrases, such as to weasel one's way out of something. This refers to both their cleverness and their wriggly burrow bodies. Thus they managed to get out of a situation that's bad for them, such as a thief weaseling their way out of going to jail. Someone who's weaselly is sneaky and conniving and perhaps cowardly.

Kevin Macleod has many free songs that people are allowed to use on Youtube without getting copyright striked. As they are instrumentals designed to suit different moods/events as background music, many comic dubbers have used them. One of them, Scheming Weasel, is very popular. However, it is not always known what the name of it is nor the artist, as it usually goes uncredited.

## Religion

As the term "weasel" is a modern one and generic, only religions which use "weasels" as a whole are shown here. For less generic examples, such as references in mythological texts and the religions of local communities that live around one or a few species of weasel, please figure out which weasel/s live(d) in that area, then check that/those species' page(s).

**Christianity:** The weasel is one of the banned foods from the Old Testament, for creeping upon the ground.

**Judaism:** See Christianity above. The Torah says it is non-kosher.

**New Ageism:** Weasels are considered full of energy yet stealthy. They can understand how a situation is unfolding as it goes forth, as they have good insight. They are also messengers, who can go forth and learn something, then understand it well and spout the important details. However having a weasel spirit animal is considered unlucky despite these gifts. 4

## Species

Originally weasels were taxonomically put into a couple of genuses, mainly Putorius and Mustela. Nowadays *Putorius* has merged with Mustela and keeps its namesake (*Putorius putorius*) in *Mustela putorius*, the polecat. The list here is reserved for creatures dubbed as "weasels" in their common name, not for the genus as a whole. Many of those will remind people of weasels (as they are all related) but if they are not commonly called weasels, then they are not weasels. You get me?

*Mustela*:

* *Mustela altaica*
* *Mustela itatsi*
* *Mustela kathiah*
* *Mustela lutreolina*
* *Mustela nivalis*
* *Mustela nudipes*
* *Mustela sibirica*
* *Mustela strigidorsa*

*Neogale*, New World weasels:

* *Neogale africana*
* *Neogale felipei*
* *Neogale frenata*

## References

1. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weasel
2. ↑ https://www.google.com/books/edition/A\_General\_System\_of\_Nature/PXMQAQAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&pg=PA53&printsec=frontcover
3. ↑ https://en.wiktionary.org/w/index.php?title=Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/wisul%C7%AD&oldid=69864645
4. ↑ https://en.wiktionary.org/w/index.php?title=weasel&oldid=72650260
5. ↑ https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/weasel%20coot
6. ↑ https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/weasel%20duck
7. ↑ https://www.amazon.com/EDENTATES-Weasel-headed-armadillo-antique-vintage/dp/B008D3QULO
8. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Six-banded\_armadillo&oldid=1136388780
9. ↑ https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/WickedWeasel
10. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wx2FDyvt0gI
11. ↑ https://nypost.com/2003/01/24/axis-of-weasel-germany-and-france-wimp-out-on-iraq-colin-raps-french-german-wimps/
12. ↑ https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Axis%20of%20Weasels
13. ↑ https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/axis-of-weasels/
14. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Weasel&oldid=249506775
15. ↑ https://www.quora.com/What-does-this-ethics-saying-mean-for-you-Eagles-may-soar-but-weasels-dont-get-sucked-into-jet-engines
16. ↑ https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/76135-eagles-may-soar-but-weasels-don-t-get-sucked-into-jet
17. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Manual\_of\_Style/Words\_to\_watch#Unsupported\_attributions
18. ↑ https://soundcloud.com/yohan-g-k/kevin-macleod-scheming-weasel
19. ↑ https://www.biblestudytools.com/kjv/leviticus/11-29.html
20. ↑ https://www.chabad.org/library/bible\_cdo/aid/9912/jewish/Chapter-11.htm
21. ↑ http://native-american-totems.com/animal-totem-medicines/weasel-native-american-animal-totem/
22. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Neogale&oldid=1141487655