THE RAVEN. 



HE is famous in song and story. The oldest book in 

 the world introduces him to us, and all down the 

 ages he has been treated with a certain degree of 

 respect. 



To begin with, he is the first bird mentioned by name 

 in the Bible. In the picturesque story of the Flood, before 

 any other living creature had ventured to issue from the 

 Ark, forth flew the Raven. We can see the great black 

 wings flapping slowly as he sails over the wet mountain- 

 side and the water-logged valleys, coming home at night- 

 fall to rest on the roof of his old refuge. 



A thousand years ago and more, the Norsemen found 

 a place in their religion for the Raven. They spoke of 

 Odin, the All-father God, seated on his throne, with his 

 two Ravens, Thought and Memory, sitting one on each of 

 his mighty shoulders. Thus perched, they whispered into 

 his ears all the secrets of the world which they had 

 gathered during their daily flight. 



When these old Norse warriors went on the war-path, 

 no emblem pleased them better than that of this bird, 

 whose delight, like theirs, was to hasten to the prey. In 

 the long strife which they waged with our hardy forefathers 

 in the days of King Alfred, there was at least one famous 

 Raven standard, the capture of which was mourned as an 

 irreparable loss. For it was supposed to presage victory 

 except when, in some mysterious way, it drooped in 

 warning of approaching disaster. 



