FABLE AND FOLKLORE 101 



either found or invented another story to account for the 

 curse resting on the raven, which runs thus in the words 

 of an old translator: 



Anxiously did Noah look forth from his swimming ark, wait- 

 ing to see the waters of the flood abate. Scarcely had the 

 peaks of the highest mountains emerged from the waves, when 

 he called all the fowls around him. "Who among you," said 

 he, "will be the messenger to go forth and see whether the 

 time of our deliverance is nigh?" The raven with much noise 

 crowded hastily in before all the rest: he longed ardently for 

 his favorite food. Scarcely was the window open, when he flew 

 away and returned no more. The ungrateful bird forgot his 

 errand and the interests of his benefactor — he hung at his 

 carcass ! But punishment did not delay. The air was yet filled 

 with poisonous fog, and heavy vapors hung over the putrid 

 corpses; these blinded his eyes and darkened his feathers. As 

 a punishment for his forgetfulness, his memory as well as his 

 sight became dim; even his own young he did not recognize; 

 and he experienced towards them no feelings of parental joy. 



Quoting again the Arab chronicler Abou-djafer Tabari: 

 "After that Noah sent forth the dove. The dove de- 

 parted, and without tarrying put her foot in the water. 

 The water of the Flood scalded and pricked the legs of 

 the dove. It was hot and briny and feathers would not 

 grow on her legs any more, and the skin scaled off. Now, 

 doves which have red and featherless legs are of the sort 

 that Noah sent forth. The dove returning showed her 

 legs to Noah, who said : 'May God render thee well pleas- 

 ing to men/ For that reason the dove is dear to men's 

 hearts." 



Still another Arabic version, given by Gustav Weil, is 

 that Noah blessed the dove, and since then she has borne 

 a necklace of green feathers; but the raven he cursed, 

 that its flight should be crooked — never direct like that of 

 other birds. This is also a Jewish legend. A more mod- 



