BIRD LEGEND AND LIFE 



be known as "raven's knowledge." To the Romans he was 

 able to reveal the means of restoring lost eyesight, even. 

 In Germany he was able to tell not only where lost articles 

 were, but could also make known to survivors where the 

 souls of their lost friends were to be found. 



Faith in his prophetic power was common all over 

 Europe, where he foretold illness and death, and not only 

 could he foretell evil, but he could put forces in action to 

 bring it about, even "shaking contagion from his ominous 

 wing." 



In England he was looked upon with greater favor; 

 the mere presence of the home of a raven in a treetop was 

 there enough to insure the continuance in power of the 

 family owning the estate. 



The power of the raven continued even after death; his 

 dried head and beak possessed talismanic power, while some 

 parts of his body were important ingredients in every 

 witch's brew. To the North American Indian his split skin 

 drawn over the head of a medicine man gave him the power 

 of prophecy. 



In Bohemia he was assigned the task usually performed 

 by the stork in other lands, while in some parts of Germany 

 witches were credited with riding upon his back instead of 

 on the conventional broomstick, as in other regions. 



To the raven is attributed power not only over human 

 affairs, but the power also of influencing the elements; in 

 old Greece he brought the rains of summer; in modern China 

 crumbs are thrown to his counterpart, the crow, when he 

 lights on the mast of a ship, that he may be induced to in- 

 fluence the powers of the air to bring favorable winds. 



In later times the raven has added interest to many a 

 stoiy. INIany of the world's best writers have accorded him 



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