RAVEN LORE 



might help her in gathering spruce boughs to be used in col- 

 lecting the eggs of salmon. Leaving the children to watch a 

 pile of boughs on the beach, she returned to find them gone. 

 On calling to them to return she was answered only by the 

 voices of crows flying about over the forest. For their wan- 

 dering and disobedience they were doomed to live in this form 

 forevermore, and to this day crows are carved on the totems 

 of all of their tribe. 



A HEBRIDES FABLE 



"A crow never can be put to shame. The lapwing, 

 who, as every one knows, has a habit of repeating him- 

 self, said to the crow: "I never saw your like for stealing 

 eggs, for stealing eggs." The crow, rubbing his beak on the 

 grass, replied: "Nor did we ourselves, though it is we who 

 are older." _ Journal of Am, Folk Lore. 



WHY RAVENS ARE BLACK — A TYROLESE STORY 



In the old days ravens were of beautiful appearance, 

 with plumage as white as snow, which they kept clean by 

 constant washing in a stream. To this stream came once 

 upon a time the Holy Child desiring to drink, but the ravens 

 prevented him by splashing about and making muddy the 

 water. Whereupon He said: "Ungrateful birds! Proud 

 you may be of your beauty, but your feathers so snowy white 

 shall become black and remain so till the Judgment Day," 

 and so they have been ever since. 



ZiNGERLE. 

 223 



