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 10
... told to illustrate how different creeds , though apparently opposed to one another , may all be parts of a single truth . Of course , we are not talking about creeds here but about cultural perspectives . The ' blind men ' here are ...
... told to illustrate how different creeds , though apparently opposed to one another , may all be parts of a single truth . Of course , we are not talking about creeds here but about cultural perspectives . The ' blind men ' here are ...
Page 20
... told how a thirsty crow found a pitcher full of water . On finding that the pitcher was too heavy to knock over , the crow started pitch- ing pebbles into the top until the water level had risen and it could drink . The first - century ...
... told how a thirsty crow found a pitcher full of water . On finding that the pitcher was too heavy to knock over , the crow started pitch- ing pebbles into the top until the water level had risen and it could drink . The first - century ...
Page 23
... told that a raven in Herefordshire three times said , ' Look into Colossians , the third and fifteenth'.2 But it is the magpies and jays that are most renowned as chat- terboxes . This has often given them reputations as tricksters in ...
... told that a raven in Herefordshire three times said , ' Look into Colossians , the third and fifteenth'.2 But it is the magpies and jays that are most renowned as chat- terboxes . This has often given them reputations as tricksters in ...
Page 27
... told how the birds held an assembly to decide how the food in the world would be divided up . The clever raven proposed that all birds larger than he should eat flesh , while smaller birds should eat plants . The proposition was ...
... told how the birds held an assembly to decide how the food in the world would be divided up . The clever raven proposed that all birds larger than he should eat flesh , while smaller birds should eat plants . The proposition was ...
Page 29
... for a birth , five for silver , six for gold , seven for a secret , not to be told ; eight for Heaven , nine for Hell , and ten for the Devil's own sel'.3 [ self ] Another satiric illustration by J. J. Grandville from Les Animaux 29 29.
... for a birth , five for silver , six for gold , seven for a secret , not to be told ; eight for Heaven , nine for Hell , and ten for the Devil's own sel'.3 [ self ] Another satiric illustration by J. J. Grandville from Les Animaux 29 29.
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.