January 28: European Data Protection Day

Korone was a maiden who attracted the unwanted attention of Poseidon. When he pursued her, she cried out to Athena for help. The goddess changed her into a crow and kept her as a pet. One day, Korone caught some Athenian princesses peeping into a basket that held Athena’s biggest secret. The goddess didn’t like Korone’s interference at all, and banned her out of her sight. It took her no effort to find another maiden in distress, Nyktimene. She transformed her into a little owl, that took Korone’s place on her shoulder. According to the fable writer Aisopos, Korone tried to get back in Athena’s favour ever since, praying and making sacrifices. A passing stray dog laughed at her for making all this effort, but Korone replied that she would never give up hope to “make Athena her friend again”. Which shows, according to Aisopos, “that people only take on religion when it’s in their own best interest”. And according to me, that we’re better off minding our own business.