Spirit Animals – Crow’s Place in Legends

Picture from outdoors.webshots.com

 

 

In the fall, the crows flock together and make some practice runs before they head south.  As I was watching them, the phrase “as the crow flies” came to mind.  I realized that we have many stories that reference crows.  For some reason, we believe that Crow, as black as he is, carries with him a sense of the supernatural.

This is a Welsh counting rhyme that children used to learn their numbers, and also to teach the children a belief system around the ways that crows congregate.

One crow for sorrow,
two for joy,
three for a girl,
for for a boy,
five for silver,
six for gold,
seven for a secret, never to be told,
eight for a wish,
nine for a kiss,
ten for a time of joyous bliss.

Some of our best teachings come from stories about crows – such as Aesop’s story about The Crow and The Pitcher.

A Crow, half-dead with thirst, came upon a Pitcher which had once been full of water; but when the Crow put its beak into the mouth of the Pitcher he found that only very little water was left in it, and that he could not reach far enough down to get at it. He tried, and he tried, but at last had to give up in despair. Then a thought came to him, and he took a pebble and dropped it into the Pitcher. Then he took another pebble and dropped it into the Pitcher. Then he took another pebble and dropped that into the Pitcher. Then he took another pebble and dropped that into the Pitcher. Then he took another pebble and dropped that into the Pitcher. Then he took another pebble and dropped that into the Pitcher. At last, at last, he saw the water mount up near him, and after casting in a few more pebbles he was able to quench his thirst and save his life.

It is from this story that we understand how very intelligent Crow may be. This intelligence is not confirmed in another story by Aesop called The Crow and The Fox because the fox comes out best.

A Fox once saw a Crow fly off with a piece of cheese in its beak and settle on a branch of a tree.
     "That's for me, as I am a Fox," said Master Reynard, and he walked up to the foot of the tree.
     "Good day, Mistress Crow," he cried. "How well you are looking today: how glossy your feathers; how bright your eye. I feel sure your voice must surpass that of other birds, just as your figure does; let me hear but one song from you that I may greet you as the Queen of Birds."
     The Crow lifted up her head and began to caw her best, but the moment she opened her mouth the piece of cheese fell to the ground, only to be snapped up by Master Fox.
     "That will do," said he. "That was all I wanted. In exchange for your cheese I will give you a piece of advice for the future: "Do not trust flatterers."

Then, there is Crow’s place in First Nation People’s lore.  One of my favorite stories is how Crow brought fire to the animals in the harsh winter.  And, because the trip from heaven was so long, Crows bright feathers were burnt to a black.  As a reward for this noble behaviour, Great Spirit gifted Crow glittering feathers, and made his meat taste like smoke so that no one would hunt crow to eat, because the flavour was awful. 

Judy@angelsandancestors.com  Do you have a favorite crow story to share?  Post it in comments, or send it to me.    Join Angels And Ancestors at the Planetary Healing Mandala on Thursday, October 1 at the SAIT Heart Atrium, Calgary, AB from 7:00pm to 8:30pm