FABLE AND FOLKLORE 161 



night, I ween, where ye knew the corses were lying.' 

 The ravens also assist and protect heroes both in Irish 

 and Norse myth. It was a lucky sign if a raven followed 

 a warrior." 



But the bold Norse sailors made a more practical use 

 also of this knowing bird, for in those days, before the 

 compass, they used to take ravens with them in their 

 adventurous voyages on the fog-bound northern seas, 

 and trust the birds to show them the way back to land. 

 A notable instance was Floki's voyage to Iceland in 864 

 A. D., a few years after that island's discovery; and the 

 French historian Mallet 30 narrates it thus: 



We are told that Floki, previous to setting out on his expe- 

 dition, performed a great sacrifice, and having consecrated three 

 ravens to the gods took them with him to guide him on his 

 voyage. After touching at the Shetland and Faroe islands he 

 steered northwest, and when he was fairly out at sea, let loose 

 one of his ravens, which, after rising to a considerable elevation, 

 directed its flight to the land they had quitted. . . . The second 

 bird, after being some time on the wing, returned to the ship, 

 a sign that the land was too far distant to be descried even by 

 a raven hovering in the sky. Floki therefore continued his 

 course, and shortly afterwards let loose his third raven, which 

 he followed in its flight until he reached the eastern coast of 

 Iceland. 



This is a somewhat poetic account, I imagine, of what 

 perhaps was a more prosaic custom of seamanship, for 

 doubtless it was usual at that time to carry several birds 

 on such voyages, and to let them fly from time to time 

 that they might learn and indicate to the voyagers 

 whether land was near, and in what direction, as did old 

 Captain Noah, master of the good ship Ark. Berthold 



