122 THE RAVEN IN POETRY AND FOLK-LORE 



It is recorded in Notes and Queries, 1853, that 

 "on a recent occasion" the relieving officer made 

 a formal application for relief, on behalf of a single 

 woman, living in the wild and scattered village of 

 Alternon, near Launceston in Cornwall, as she was 

 unable to work "through grief" and depression of 

 mind, owing to the croaking of a raven over her 

 cottage. Whether the relief was granted I do not 

 know ; but " a raven on the nerves " would prob- 

 ably produce a prostration of mind and body 

 which might well call for it. 



To this day, I am told that the old Highland 

 deer-stalker, when he sallies forth in the early morn- 

 ing to "spy" for a stag, regards it as a good omen 

 not for the stag, but for himself if he sees a raven 

 hovering over him or hears his croak. The raven, 

 it would seem, knows what the stalker can only 

 hope for, that he "will see a stag die ere the day 

 be spent." In old times, a particular bone in the 

 stag's body hence called " the raven's bone " used 

 to be set apart as the perquisite of the prophetic 

 bird. What wonder that he came to look out for 

 and to claim it ? 



" The raven on the blasted oak, 

 That watching while the deer is broke 

 His morsel claims with sullen croak." 



