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The Crow in World Mythology
The Crow is often considered an omen of death in North America, but is honored and appreciated in other worlds and times.
Photo by HazardFreak at www.deviantart.com/view/14679684/
New Table of Contents
Wikipedia on Crows in Mythology
Crows, and especially ravens, often feature in European legends or mythology as portents or harbingers of doom or death, because of their dark plumage, unnerving calls, and tendency to eat carrion. They are commonly thought to circle above scenes of death such as battles.The Child ballad The Three Ravens depicts three ravens discussing whether they can eat a dead knight, but finds that his hawk, his hound, and his true love prevent them; in the parody version The Twa Corbies, these guards have already forgotten the dead man, and the ravens can eat their fill. .read more at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crow
The White Crow/Black Crow
Ages ago, A snow-white Crow was left by the God Apollo to watch over his love, Coronis. But though Coronis was pregnant with the Sun-God's child, she admitted her passion for another man. The Crow flew off to tell Apollo of Coronis' addmission, but before the Crow could tell him, the Sun-God had already divined Coronis' infidelity.In the fires of his revenge against Coronis, the Crow was turned black as night. Since that time, the Crows have been spirits of revenge.
Though Coronis died, Apollo managed to save the life of their child...Asclepius. Asclepius grew up and was given a gift by the Goddess Athena; blood from the veins of Medusa the Gorgon. The blood possessed the power to cure the sick, and even to raise the dead. But the power of the Gorgon's blood made Asclepius some powerful enemies, especially Hades, who complained that Asclepius unjustly depleted the population of the underworld. Zeus killed the physician with a thunderbolt...but the Crows kept the Gorgon's blood.
The Crows bring back those who have been wronged, so that they might the wrong things right. And it is said that the Crows shall remain ever black, so long as violence is repaid with violence.
Paraphrased from "The Myth of the CROW" appearing in "The CROW: Wild Justice" #1, published by Kitchen Sink Comics. www.angelfire.com/ia3/sar_alt/cromyth.html
The Rainbow Crow
Background on crows in Language and Literature
For a play based on a book of the same name, retold by Nancy Van Laan. See:http://www.si.umich.edu/CHICO/RainbowCrow/teacher.htm
Crows are found in almost every part of the world, except for New Zealand. There is a common saying, "if a person knows only 3 birds in all the world, one of these will be a crow" (Blassingame, p. 3). In fact, crows are so popular that they've added words to our language: the "crow's nest" is a lookout at the top of a ship's mast (crows build their own nests very high); to "crow over" means to brag very loudly, inspired by the harsh voice of the crow; to "eat crow" means to take back what one has said.
Crows are very popular in literature and myth. In Roman mythology, crows, or ravens, were once as white as snow. However, when one unfortunate crow brought some particularly bad news to the god Apollo, the god "Black'd the raven o'er, and bid him prate in his white plumes no more" (Blassingame, p. 14).
In Norse mythology, the raven belonged to Odin, the god of war. The raven soared over the battlefield and fed on the bodies of the dead. (Crows are omnivorous, and will eat everything.)
Lady Macbeth states:
...The raven himself is hoarse
That croaks the fatal entrance of Duncan
Under my battlements. (MacBeth, Act 1, sc. iv)
Then, of course, there is Edgar Allen Poe's famous poem, "The Raven", which features a midnight visitor, whose only utterance is the word "nevermore."
The Crow in Myth
Current Literature
Some Quick Hits
One myth at a time...
- PG News: Myths about crows
- short, sweet news article
- OMEN OF DEATH & DIVINE PROVIDENCE
- Quick review of various cultures
- Raven and Gull Myth
- Franz Boas, Chinook Texts, U.S. Bureau of Ethnology Bulletin No. 20 (Washington, DC: Government Printing Office, 1894), pp. 88-91
- Bird Clan
- Crow Medicine (as in magic)
- Raven in Mythology
- from "Murders and Unkindnesses" in the Samhain edition of "White Dragon", 1998.
- Crow Brings Daylight
- Oban's Myths & Legends
An Inuit story retold by Oban - Audio Sample from Land of the Midnight Sun by Vince Gassi Concert Band
- Follow Crow on his epic journey as he attempts to bring daylight to the people of the far north. Inspired by the Inuit myth "Crow Brings the Daylight" this colorful piece, filled with haunting harmonies and energetic rhythms, was written for and dedicated to the Inuksuk High School Band in Iqaluit, Canada.
Based on the story as told at http://www.americanfolklore.net/folktales/nunavut1.html - Rainbow Crow, New Jersey state version
- (Lenni Lenape Tribe)
retold by
S. E. Schlosser - Raven, Crow and Corvids in Myth, Folklore and Religion
- Birds of the Corvidae family, or corvids, particularly crows and ravens, are creatures of paradox. Their black plumage, slouching posture, and love of carrion sometimes make them appear morbid, yet few if any other birds behave in as playful a manner as they do.
Other Crow Lenses in the Suite
- Wearing the Crow
- CafePress wearables flaunting the Crow
- The Science of Crows
- The real facts from scientists and current researchers
- The Crow in Art
- The Crow as Muse
- The Crow in Literature
- The crow as represented in the classics and in more recent novels
- Decorating with Crows
- The goodies for yourself or gifts for others
- The Crow Suite Homepage
- Guide to the lenses in the Crow Suite; like a table of contents
News and views on the crow myths
- Myths about crows tell tales of happiness, woe
- By Ljubica Gojgic, Post-Gazette
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