CrowThough not generally perceived as graceful, crows are remarkably so—a single curve undulates from the tip of the bird’s beak to the end of its tail. They take flight almost without effort, flapping their wings easily and ascending into the air like spirits. Crow by Boria Sax is a celebration of the crow and its relatives in myth, literature, and life. Sax takes readers into the history of crows, detailing how in a range of cultures, from the Chinese to the Hopi Indians, crows are bearers of prophecy. For example, thanks in part to the birds’ courtship rituals, Greeks invoked crows as symbols of conjugal love. From the raven sent out by Noah to the corvid deities of the Eskimo, from Taoist legends to Victorian novels and contemporary films, Sax’s book ranges across history and culture and will interest anyone who has ever been intrigued, puzzled, annoyed, or charmed by these wonderfully intelligent birds. |
From inside the book
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Page 9
... example , hard to believe that the poets and scientists are talking about the same thing , we can think of the famous story from the Hindu Udana known as " The Blind Men and the Elephant ' . Seven blind men were presented by a rajah ...
... example , hard to believe that the poets and scientists are talking about the same thing , we can think of the famous story from the Hindu Udana known as " The Blind Men and the Elephant ' . Seven blind men were presented by a rajah ...
Page 17
... various words that designate corvids generally derive from attempts to imitate their calls . One example is our word ' crow ' , which comes from the Anglo - Saxon cráwe . It is The arms of the Barons von Rindscheit , symbolizing perhaps 17.
... various words that designate corvids generally derive from attempts to imitate their calls . One example is our word ' crow ' , which comes from the Anglo - Saxon cráwe . It is The arms of the Barons von Rindscheit , symbolizing perhaps 17.
Page 18
... example is the word ' raven ' , which comes from the Old Norse hrafn . Etymologists trace that word further back to the prehistoric Germanic khraben , a pretty good transliteration of the raven's call . It is related to the Latin Corvus ...
... example is the word ' raven ' , which comes from the Old Norse hrafn . Etymologists trace that word further back to the prehistoric Germanic khraben , a pretty good transliteration of the raven's call . It is related to the Latin Corvus ...
Page 23
... example , need about three years to reach maturity and breed . A couple may have a brood every year . Those crows that have not yet reached breeding age or have failed to find a mate will stay with their parents and help to raise the ...
... example , need about three years to reach maturity and breed . A couple may have a brood every year . Those crows that have not yet reached breeding age or have failed to find a mate will stay with their parents and help to raise the ...
Page 26
... mythologies . Both , for example , would accompany the Norse Odin , god of magic and of battles . ready to forgive crows for eating their grain , so appealing are these birds . One may debate whether it is a sign of intelligence. 26.
... mythologies . Both , for example , would accompany the Norse Odin , god of magic and of battles . ready to forgive crows for eating their grain , so appealing are these birds . One may debate whether it is a sign of intelligence. 26.
Contents
Mesopotamia | 31 |
Egypt Greece and Rome | 38 |
The European Middle Ages and Renaissance | 55 |
Asia | 80 |
Native American Culture | 90 |
The Romantic Era | 102 |
Lord of the Crows | 128 |
The Twentieth Century and Beyond | 144 |
164 | |
Bibliography | 168 |
Websites | 175 |
Associations | 177 |
Acknowledgements | 178 |
Photo Acknowledgements | 179 |
180 | |
Timeline | 162 |
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Common terms and phrases
Ages and Renaissance American crow animals Apollo appear archaic associated Athena Badbh battle beak became behaviour birds body carrion crow Celtic colour common raven corone corvids creatures crow Corvus crow or raven crows and ravens culture dead death deity divination Emperor Ernest Thompson Seton especially Europe fable farmers feathers fields flew genus Corvus Ghost Dance goddess Gogh Greek Grimm Brothers heaven hero hooded crow Horapollo human illustration Indians Inuit Irish J. J. Grandville jackdaw Jacob de Voragine killed king legend live London Lorenz magpie medieval Middle Ages myths Native Americans natural history nests nineteenth century Noah numbers O'Casey Odin painted pecking perched perhaps poem popular probably prophet raven or crow Roman rooks scarecrow scaring scientists Seton shows Silverspot sometimes story symbol tale tell told traditions tree twentieth century wings wolves wrote young
Popular passages
Page 29 - One for sorrow, Two for mirth, Three for a wedding, Four for a birth.