So, I have taken lupabitch's advise to approach Leopard Seal using this guided meditation:

More About Animal Totems

The first time I approached Leopard Seal, s/he just wanted me to scratch hir throat. S/he wouldn't talk to me.  The second time I approached Leopard Seal, s/he told me s/he wanted to get to know me more.   I tried several more times and couldn't talk to hir.

Looking on Wikipedia about the Leopard Seal, I found the following:

Leopard Seal - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia:

The leopard seal is bold, powerful and curious. In the water, there is a fine line between curiosity and predatory behavior, and it may 'play' with penguins that it does not intend to eat.

Curiosity is something I have plenty of, but boldness and power are things I lack.  Maybe with contact with Leopard Seal, I can learn these things.

I also approached Raven, my primary totem.  There was no conversation, but I saw Raven giving me a sword.  It was rounded, almost like a rod or metal wand with a guard.

FFF
~Muninn's Kiss

Bali literally means animal sacrifice from what I can determine.  Kakka means Crow.  I'm guessing Bali Kakka means crow that is sacrificed to.

Crow - New World Encyclopedia:

In Hinduism, it is believed that people who died will take food and offerings through a variety of crows called "Bali kākka." Every year people whose parents or relatives died will offer food to crows as well as cows on the Shradha day.

Shardha:

Shradha is derived from shraddha, meaning 'faithful, true, loyal, believing'. Shradha, or the ritual of the manes, refers to a series of ceremonies performed at various times of the year and during one's lifetime as homage and salutation to one's ancestors. These ceremonies can be defined, as offerings of food to one's pitras, by feeding Brahmins or even certain animals, like dogs, cats, crows and snakes.
Sharadha

Shradha is performed on many occasions, like pilgrimage, during an eclipse (see Rahu-Ketu), birth (see Jatakarman), investiture of the sacred thread (see Upanayanam), marriage (see Vivaha), after performing funeral rites (see Antyeshti), or during the dark fortnight of Bhadra. It serves to remind one at important times throughout one's life that death does not severe the link between the present and the past, between the living and the dead. It is also performed at times like during an eclipse to seek protection from the dead, who are given a divine status and are believed to have the power to protect mortals from supernatural forces.

Shradha ceremonies are usually associated with funeral and post-funeral observances. However, they are not considered inauspicious like the funeral rites (see Antyeshti).

The main feature of the ceremony is the offering of pinda or balls of cooked rice (pindadana) to one's ancestors. After a person's death, these rice balls are offered to him for 10 days, starting from the day of his death. It is believed that in this period, his soul is in the process of forming a body. The pindas provide nourishment at this time. After the tenth day, the soul is believed to have formed a body. It is then provided food for its journey to the next world. For this purpose, shradha is performed on any day from the eleventh to the thirtieth day after the death, usually on a large scale. This ceremony is called Ekodishta because it is performed specifically for one person and not all the manes. In this ceremony, the pindas are offered to the preta.

After the Ekodishta, the Sapindikarana, or the ritual of uniting the preta with the pitra, is performed. This ceremony takes place either on the twelfth day, three weeks, or a year after the death. Until the Sapindikarana is performed, the deceased is not elevated to the status of a pitra.

On the day of the Sapindikarana, four pots are filled with water, an aromatic substance like camphor and sesame seed. Three are offered to the pitras and the fourth is offered to the preta. Then, the contents of the fourth pot are poured into the other three. With this, the preta now joins the ranks of the pitras.

After this, shradha is performed once a month, or every three months, for the first year after the death. It is then performed on every death anniversary. If shradha is performed on any other occasion, it is not usually such an elaborate ceremony, nor spread over so many days. Brahmins and relatives are invited to participate. For the ceremony, the gods are first invoked and then the pitras. Each offering is made in the name of a pitra. The food is then served to all those present. It is believed that by feeding the Brahmins, the manes are being fed. The remainder is offered to the fire (see Agni) and given to the crows to eat. It is believed that the pitras take the form of crows to eat the offerings made to them. The Brahmins are given gifts and money. The Brahmanda Purana has specified both the food and the utensils to be offered in shradha. It rates the pindas as most important. The food cooked during shradha should be saltless and free of all adulteration and impurities. According to the Matsya Purana, the manes, gratified by the offerings of food, bless their descendants with a long life, happiness, wealth, learning, progeny and moksha.

Various kinds of shradha are mentioned in the Markandeya Purana, like nitya or usual and naimitya or occasional, performed on death anniversaries. The Kamya Shradha is performed on one of the 15 days in the dark fortnight of Bhadra to pay homage as well as to fulfil a specific desire. Each of these 15 days signifies something different. For example, shradha is performed on the first day if one desires a beautiful wife, on the eighth day if one desires wealth, and on the fifteenth day if one wishes complete gratification. In addition, there are other days considered auspicious for performing shradha. Special merit is received if the ceremony is performed at holy places or pilgrimage sites, Tirtha such as Gaya, Allahabad, Kurukshetra and Siddhpur.

Shani - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia:

Shani is a Deva and son of Surya (the Hindu Sun God) and his wife Chhaya (Shadow goddess) and hence also known as Chayyaputra. He is the cousin of Yama, the Hindu God of death. It is said that when he opened his eyes as a baby for the very first time, the sun went into an eclipse, which clearly denotes the impact of Shani on astrological charts. He is known as the greatest teacher. He is known in Hindu scriptures as the greatest trouble giver as well as the greatest well wisher. He is depicted dark in colour, clothed in black; holding a sword, arrows and two daggers and variously mounted on a black vulture or a raven.

Andrasta was a goddess of battle similar to the Morrigan, worshipped by the Iceni tribe and several other southern tribes in England.

Andrasta - Fantasy Art - Painting Dreams by Wendy Andrew:

Andrasta

Andraste, Andrasta, Andred


Goddess of the Iceni tribe,
Boudicca called for your aid.
On the haunting battle cries you ride,
Crying ‘know your strength, be not afraid!’

Warrior Goddess, you are strength in the fight;
Spirit of Raven and Hare.
Goddess of light in the raven black night,
In the moon magic hare you are there.

Andraste - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia:

Andraste, according to Dio Cassius, was a Celtic war goddess invoked by Boudica while fighting against the Roman occupation of Britain in AD 61:

I thank thee, Andraste, and call upon thee as woman speaking to woman [...] those over whom I rule are Britons, men that know not how to till the soil or ply a trade, but are thoroughly versed in the art of war and hold all things in common, even children and wives, so that the latter possess the same valour as the men. As the queen, then, of such men and of such women, I supplicate and pray thee for victory, preservation of life, and liberty against men insolent, unjust, insatiable, impious.

She is mentioned only once. She may be the same as Andate, mentioned later by the same source, and described as 'their name for Victory', i.e. the Goddess Victoria. Thayer asserts that she may be related to Andarta also. The goddess Victoria is related to Nike, Bellona, Magna Mater, Cybele, and Vacuna—goddesses who often are depicted on chariots.

Andraste and hares

Many Neopagan sources describe the hare as sacred to Andraste. This seems to derive from a misreading of the passage in Dio Cassius in which Boudica releases a hare from her gown:

"Let us, therefore, go against (the Romans), trusting boldly to good fortune. Let us show them that they are hares and foxes trying to rule over dogs and wolves." When she had finished speaking, she employed a species of divination, letting a hare escape from the fold of her dress; and since it ran on what they considered the auspicious side, the whole multitude shouted with pleasure, and Buduica, raising her hand toward heaven, said: "I thank thee, Andraste, and call upon thee as woman speaking to woman..."

The hare's release is described as a technique of divination, with an augury drawn from the direction in which it runs. This appears to be similar to the Roman methods of divination which ascribe meaning to the directions in which birds fly, with the left side being auspicious and the right side inauspicious.

Taking an augury at this point before a battle is thus a means of testing the 'good fortune' of which Boudica speaks, with no implication that the hare is sacred to Andraste. More importantly, the unflattering comparison of the Romans with 'hares and foxes' is not consistent with the reverence one would expect if the hare were a symbol of the Goddess. Boudica is evidently giving thanks to Andraste for the omen of victory and not addressing the hare as Andraste.

The Dream of Rhonabwy - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia:

The frame story tells that Madog sends Rhonabwy and two companions to find the prince's rebellious brother Iorwerth. One night during the pursuit they seek shelter with Heilyn the Red, but find his house filthy and his beds full of fleas. Lying down on a yellow ox-skin, Rhonabwy experiences a vision of Arthur and his time. Serving as his guide is one of Arthur's followers, Iddawg the Churn of Britain, so called because he sparked the Battle of Camlann when he distorted the king's messages of peace he was supposed to deliver to the enemy Medrawd (Mordred). Iddawg introduces Rhonabwy and his friends to Arthur, who regrets that Wales has been inherited by such tiny men.

Iddawg reveals that Arthur's men are assembled to meet the Saxons at the Battle of Badon Hill. However, Arthur is more concerned with a game of gwyddbwyll (a chess-like board game) he is playing against his follower Owain mab Urien (Ywain). While they play, messengers arrive declaring that Arthur's squires are attacking Owain's ravens; when Owain asks that this be stopped Arthur only responds, "your move". Finally Owain orders his ravens to attack Arthur's servants; when Arthur asks him to call them off, Owain says "your move, lord." Eventually Arthur crushes the chess pieces into dust, and the two declare peace between their forces. After this the Saxons send a contingent asking for a truce, which Arthur grants after consulting his advisors. Cai (Kay) declares that any who wish to follow Arthur should come to Cornwall. The noise of the troops moving wakens Rhonabwy, who realizes he has slept for three days.

( Full text in English... )

Nantosuelta - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia:

In Gaulish religion, Nantosuelta was a goddess of nature, the earth, fire, and fertility in Gaul. The Mediomatrici (Alsace) depicted her in art as holding a model house or dovecote, on a pole (a bee hive). Nantosuelta is attested by statues, and by inscriptions. She was sometimes paired with Sucellus. Nantosuelta was also the Goddess of Nature in Lusitanian mythology. In addition, her symbol the raven symbolized her connection as a goddess of the dead.

My second, not as good, painting. It is supposed to be a well with the River Styx inside it, from a raven-lead vision i had.



~Muninn's Kiss

I painted this last night:



~Muninn's Kiss

The Twa Corbies:

The Twa Corbies

A 14th Century Scottish Poem

As I was walking all alane,
I heard twa corbies making a mane;
The tane unto the t'other say,
"Where sall we gang and dine today?"

"In behint yon auld fail dyke,
I wot there lies a new slain knight;
And naebody kens that he lies there,
But his hawk, his hound, and lady fair.

"His hound is to the hunting gane,
His hawk to fetch the wild-fowl hame,
His lady's ta'en another mate,
So we may mak our dinner sweet.

"Ye'll sit on his white hause-bane,
And I'll pike out his bonny blue een;
Wi' ae lock o' his gowden hair
We'll theek our nest when it grows bare.

"Mony a one for him makes mane,
But nane sall ken where he is gane;
O'er his white banes, when they are bare,
The wind sall blaw for evermair."

The Morrigan and Cúchulainn:

Cúchulainn attracted the attention of the Morrigan (Celtic Goddess of Birth, Death and War), because of his exploits. While sleeping deeply after an exhausting day of single combats, Cúchulainn was startled awake by a great shout coming from the north, which in Celtic legend is the realm of the dead, justice and the element of Earth. He ordered his charioteer Laeg to get the chariot ready for them to seek out the source of this strange cry.

They travelled north and met a woman riding towards them in another chariot, she wore a red dress, a long red cloak, had red hair and eyebrows and carried a long grey spear. Cúchulainn greeted this woman and asked her who she was, and she replied that she was daughter of a king called Buan (the Eternal One) who had fallen in love with him after hearing about his deeds. Cúchulainn did not recognise the woman as an incarnation of the goddess and brusquely replied that he had better things to do than concern himself with a woman's love. The Morrigan replied that she had been helping him throughout his combats and that she would continue to do so in return for his love. Cúchulainn arrogantly replied that he did not need the help of any woman in battle. "If you will not have my love and help, then you shall have my hatred and enmity" she said. "When you are in combat with an enemy as good as yourself, I shall come against you in many shapes and hinder you, until your opponent has the advantage."

Cúchulainn drew his sword to attack this threatening woman, but saw only a crow sitting on a branch. The crow was the totem bird of the goddess and Cúchulainn finally realised that he had rejected the help of the fearsome Morrigan.

On the following day Cúchulainn met a great warrior called Loch in battle. Loch scorned him as a beardless youth and refused to fight him, so Cúchulainn rubbed blackberry juice into his chin until it appeared darkened with a growing beard he also said an incantation over some grasses and they adhered to his chin. Then he found out what it was like to be on the wrong side of the Morrigan. While he was in combat with Loch, she came against him three times. The first was in the shape of a red-eared heifer who tried to knock him over; the second was in the shape of an eel that wrapped itself about his legs as he stood in the stream; and the third time she came against him as a grey wolf that grabbed his sword arm. Each time his opponent gained an advantage and managed to strike Cúchulainn, however he also managed to strike back at the goddess in her forms, he broke the heifer's leg, he trampled on the eel and poked out the eye of the wolf. In spite of his worsening odds against Loch, he finally managed to kill him with his magical spear - the gae bulga with its thirty barbs.

After he had killed Loch, the Morrigan appeared to him again in the form of an old crone who was milking a cow with three teats. Cúchulainn requested a drink of milk from her, she gave him a drink from the first teat but that did not quench his thirst, so she gave him a drink from the second teat but still his thirst was unquenched and then she gave him a drink from the third teat and finally his thirst was quenched and he was grateful to the old woman and asked what reward she wanted. She requested that he heal the wounds that he had inflicted on her while she was in animal guises as only Cúchulainn could heal the wounds which he caused, which he graciously did.

She appeared to him after that on the day of his death in the form of three old crones who cajole him into eating a piece of cooked dog which was a food forbidden to him, thus he broke a geas which had been imposed on him and this was extremely inauspicious. After he had been killed in the Battle of Muirthemne she appeared as the crow which landed on his shoulder.

Leprechauns:

The Gaelic word Préachán which forms part of the word Leprechaun means a Crow or a Rook; a noisy, chattering bird that caused distress to farmers. Préachán when used to describe a person signified an idle chatterer up to no good. The earliest reference to leprechauns is in the tale 'The Death of Fergus Mac Leite' composed about 1100 ad. which refers to diminutive sea-beings, and this tale it was supposed gave Swift his inspiration for his novel 'Gulliver's Travels'.

Creation Myths -- Greek Creation Myth:

Greek Creation Myth

In the beginning there was an empty darkness. The only thing in this void was Nyx, a bird with black wings. With the wind she laid a golden egg and for ages she sat upon this egg. Finally life began to stir in the egg and out of it rose Eros, the god of love. One half of the shell rose into the air and became the sky and the other became the Earth. Eros named the sky Uranus and the Earth he named Gaia. Then Eros made them fall in love.

Uranus and Gaia had many children together and eventually they had grandchildren. Some of their children become afraid of the power of their children. Kronus, in an effort to protect himself, swallowed his children when they were still infants. However, his wife Rhea hid their youngest child. She gave him a rock wrapped in swaddling clothes, which he swallowed, thinking it was his son.

Once the child, Zeus, had reached manhood his mother instructed him on how to trick his father to give up his brothers and sisters. Once this was accomplished the children fought a mighty war against their father. After much fighting the younger generation won. With Zeus as their leader, they began to furnish Gaia with life and Uranus with stars.

Soon the Earth lacked only two things: man and animals. Zeus summoned his sons Prometheus (fore-thought) and Epimetheus (after-thought). He told them to go to Earth and create men and animals and give them each a gift.

Prometheus set to work forming men in the image of the gods and Epimetheus worked on the animals. As Epimetheus worked he gave each animal he created one of the gifts. After Epimetheus had completed his work Prometheus finally finished making men. However when he went to see what gift to give man Epimetheus shamefacedly informed him that he had foolishly used all the gifts.

Distressed, Prometheus decided he had to give man fire, even though gods were the only ones meant to have access to it. As the sun god rode out into the world the next morning Prometheus took some of the fire and brought it back to man. He taught his creation how to take care of it and then left them.

When Zeus discovered Prometheus' deed he became furious. He ordered his son to be chained to a mountain and for a vulture to peck out his liver every day till eternity. Then he began to devise a punishment for mankind. Another of his sons created a woman of great beauty, Pandora. Each of the gods gave her a gift. Zeus' present was curiosity and a box which he ordered her never to open. Then he presented her to Epimetheus as a wife.

Pandora's life with Epimetheus was happy except for her intense longing to open the box. She was convinced that because the gods and goddesses had showered so many glorious gifts upon her that this one would also be wonderful. One day when Epimetheus was gone she opened the box.

Out of the box flew all of the horrors which plague the world today - pain, sickness, envy, greed. Upon hearing Pandora's screams Epimetheus rushed home and fastened the lid shut, but all of the evils had already escaped.

Later that night they heard a voice coming from the box saying,

"Let me out. I am hope."

Pandora and Epimetheus released her and she flew out into the world to give hope to humankind.

The only thing in this void was Nyx, a bird with black wings.

Is Nyx a raven...?

~Muninn's Kiss

Zoo Torah: The Wolf and the Raven:

II. Wolves and Ravens

Very few mammals have symbiotic relationships with other creatures. One of the few exceptions is the wolf:

"The wolf seems to have few relationships with other animals that could be termed purely social, though he apparently takes pleasure in the company of ravens. The raven, with a range almost as extensive as the wolf's, one that even includes the tundra, commonly follows hunting wolves to feed on the remains of a kill." (Barry Lopez, Of Wolves And Men, p. 67)

The raven is sometimes known as "wolf-bird," and some zoologists speculate that its relationship with wolves may be assisted by their psychological make-up:

"It appears that the wolf and the raven have reached an adjustment in their relationships such that each creature is rewarded in some way by the presence of the other and that each is fully aware of the other's capabilities. Both species are extremely social, so they must possess the psychological mechanisms necessary for forming social attachments. Perhaps in some way individuals of each species have included members of the other in their social group and have formed bonds with them." (David Mech, The Wolf: The Ecology and Behaviour of an Endangered Species)

In "Mind of the Raven: Investigations and Adventures with Wolf-Birds," zoologist Bernd Heinrich has suggested a basis for this association: ravens lead wolves to their prey, alert them to dangers, and are rewarded by sharing the spoils.

This unusual partnership also finds expression in Scripture. The only person in Scripture named after the wolf, the Midianite chieftain Ze'ev, had a partner named Orev - Raven!

"And they captured the two chieftains of Midian, Orev and Ze'ev; and they executed Orev in the Rock of Orev, and they executed Ze'ev at the Winepress of Ze'ev, and they pursued Midian; and they brought the heads of Orev and Ze'ev to Gideon, across the Jordan." (Judges 7:25)

Now, it may be that since wolves and ravens have a well-known association, the Midianites called their two chieftains by these names (in the Midianite language). Alternately, it may be that they had different names, but Scripture calls them by these names in order to tell us something about them, as we shall see.

Aside from the social and symbiotic relationship between wolves and ravens, there is another connection between them. The Hebrew name for raven, orev, is comprised of the same letters as the word erev, dusk. Dusk, the time which is so epitomized by wolves that they are repeatedly referred to as "the wolves of dusk" and according to some are even referred to solely by the name dusky in the Egyptian plague, is the same word used as the name of the raven. The Midrash also records a view that that the Egyptian plague of arov was comprised of ravens and other such birds, while another view maintains that it was both wolves and ravens.

Constellation Hydra:

On day the Sun-god, Apollo, sent his pet raven down to Earth to bring the thirsty god a cup of fresh water. Apollo's sacred raven was not a very dependable bird. On arriving at the spring the raven saw that a fig tree was just beginning to bear fruit.

"What matter if I wait only a few days until the fruit ripens?" the raven asked itself. And it waited. When the fruit ripened the raven then stayed several more days eating the fruit until it was all gone. He then filled the cup with fresh spring water but realized that his master would be angry for the long delay. Then he noticed a water-serpent nearby and grasped it in his claws. So with cup in mouth and serpent dangling from his claws, the raven flew up to Heaven. He explained to Apollo that the serpent had attacked him and that is what caused the delay.

Apollo was not taken in by the lie. And he was so angry with the bird that he flung him, cup and serpent out of Heaven. Today we see them together in the sky as Crater, the Cup, and Corvus, the Raven, perched on the serpent's back. This myth gave rise to two alternate manes for Corvus as a constellation: Avis Ficarius, or "the Fig Bird," and Emansor, or "One Who Lingers Too Long."

White Crows - Journal:

The crow was the symbolic bird of Apollo. Apollo was unhappy with the crow because it did not return to him with pure water quickly enough for a sacrifice Apollo wished to make to Zeus. The crow, it turns out had stopped to eat some figs and waited until they were ripe. Apollo had to make do with less pure water for his needs. Fearing that Apollo would be angry with him for being so late, the crow captured a water snake (Hydra) to use as an alibi claiming the snake caused the delay. To punish the crow for his tardiness, Apollo cursed the crow by giving him a sore throat during the time when the figs are ripening. With such a sore throat, the crow could not drink water. Apollo also changed the color of the crow from snow white to black and placed the crow, the cup and the serpent in the sky as a warning to others who would try to lie to a god.

The Crow Black Dream:

The Myth of the Crow

Ages ago, A snow-white Crow was left by the God Apollo to watch over his love, Coronis. But though Coronis was pregnant with the Sun-God's child, she admitted her passion for another man. The Crow flew off to tell Apollo of Coronis' addmission, but before the Crow could tell him, the Sun-God had already divined Coronis' infidelity.

In the fires of his revenge against Coronis, the Crow was turned black as night. Since that time, the Crows have been spirits of revenge.

Though Coronis died, Apollo managed to save the life of their child...Asclepius. Asclepius grew up and was given a gift by the Goddess Athena; blood from the veins of Medusa the Gorgon. The blood possessed the power to cure the sick, and even to raise the dead. But the power of the Gorgon's blood made Asclepius some powerful enemies, especially Hades, who complained that Asclepius unjustly depleted the population of the underworld. Zeus killed the physician with a thunderbolt...but the Crows kept the Gorgon's blood.

The Crows bring back those who have been wronged, so that they might the wrong things right. And it is said that the Crows shall remain ever black, so long as violence is repaid with violence.

Paraphrazed from "The Myth of the CROW" appearing in "The CROW: Wild Justice" #1, published by Kitchen Sink Comics.

Some versions say Apollo turned the Crow/Raven black in anger and the his twin sister Artemis killed Coronis with arrows.  Others say Apollo burned Coronis and the Crow/Raven feathers turned black from the smoke.  Crow in this was Corvus, which is Latin for Crow and Raven, and is the name of the constellation.  Some people translate the various version leaving Corvus as the name of Apollo's servant, while others call it his Crow/Raven familiar or pet.  Coronis' name also means Crow or Raven, and in some versions, she becomes the constellation.  In some version, when Artemis kills Coronis, Hermes saves Ascelpius, before taking Coronis to Tartarus, and gave the child to Chiron, the centaur.  Chiron was a great healer and trained the child, like he had a number of the gods and heroes.  Of the versions I could find online, this was the version I liked the wording of best.  It comes from Wild Justice, one of the serious of comics by the author of the graphic novel The Crow, which the movie was based on.  The part about the Gorgon's blood comes from The Library by Apollodorus.  I can't find any other references to Crows of Ravens saving the vial or being spirits of revenge, so I think that part was added for the comic.  The important Raven-related part, then, is the first two paragraphs.

~Muninn's Kiss

Greek gods myths - Athena - The Creation of the Lycabettus Hill in Athens:

There once was a time where Hephaestus, the god of fire, had been abandoned by his wife Aphrodite and was driven to desperation; until one fine day, the wheels of fate turned and the goddess Athena paid him a visit in his workshop, asking him to make her some weapons.

No sooner did the goddess enter the workshop than Hephaestus felt strong passion for her, in the hope she would give him her love for gratitude. Athena, however, was determined to remain a virgin so she was shying away from any men. But Hephaestus showed no mercy; he passionately grasped her and tried to commit rape, but all he could do was spilling his semen on her thigh…

Overwhelmed with shame, Athena wiped the sperm with a piece of wool and threw it away in disgust. So doing, the seed fell down, fertilized Mother Earth Gaea and a dreadful, half-serpent creature came to life. The creature was given the name Erichthonius ('erion': wool+ 'chthon':earth).

Athena took Erichthonius, hid him inside a basket and added two snakes in order to guard him. She then sent it away to Athens to the kingdom of Cecrops, so that his daughters Herse, Pandrosus and Aglaulus could take proper care of the baby.

Athena had strictly prohibited everybody to view the basket’s contents but the three sisters couldn’t help opening the basket out of curiosity and quickly peeked what was lying inside...but what was their surprise when they saw the monstrous creature! Frightened, they hastily ran away screaming and jumped to death off the Acropolis.

Athena heard the sad news from a white herald raven and out of frustration she turned the raven from white into black. She then threw a huge rock from the sky, which she was carrying for the fortification of the Acropolis. Out of the rock, the wonderful hill of Lycabettus was created in the very center of Athens!

Athena finally took Erichthonius and imprisoned him inside a temple and the temple was named 'Erechtheion' in the creature's honour.

Imbolc by Susa E. Black:

Raven is associated with Imbolc, the Feast of Saint Brigit, because it is the first bird to nest in the Highlands, around the beginning of February. “Cuirear fitheach chon na nide”, (The raven goes to prepare his nest.)

Unkindness and murders:

In Cervantes' "Don Quixote", the hero says that Arthur was not killed at all, but was turned into a raven. Arthur is also sometimes associated with the cult of Mithras, which was popular with the Roman legions. The cult organisation was based upon seven ranks that a worshipper could pass through, and the first of these was Raven. The raven, reprising his most common role in terms of masculine European mythology, was Ahura-Mazda's messenger and represented Mercury. Initiates are shown on frescoes and mosaics as holding a cup and the caduceus. Also along these lines, Lugus was a Gaulish god of intelligence, and a mighty warrior. A relief from Senlis shows Lugus with ravens and geese, and the ravens appear to be speaking to him. Both Lugus and Odin are also linked with the Roman Mercury, bringing us to the connection between ravens and the art of the healer.

The Cult of Mithras:

"The basic doctrine of Mithraism, as far as can be told, is that Mithras was a god who was born from a rock and destined to secure the salvation of the world; to do this he was commanded by the god Apollo (through the intermediary agent of a raven) to slay the Bull from the region of the Moon, which was said to represent the fullness of life. Mithras was reluctant to do this but acquiesced in deference to the divine will; in the ensuing struggle between god and bull, other animals joined in - the dog, and scorpion and the snake. After Mithras was successful a quarrel broke out between Mithras and Apollo, but they were reconciled and celebrated a banquet."
- Peter Clark, Zoroastrianism, An Introduction to an Ancient Faith, pp. 157-158

The Cult of Mithras:

"Ascension was symbolized by seven grades of initiation, each stage governed by a 'plant': Raven (Mercury); Bride (Venus); Soldier (Mars); Lion (Jupiter); Persian (the moon); Courier of the Sun (the sun); and Father (Saturn). The ultimate goal was to transcend all levels of the cosmos and to attain the level of the fixed stars, or aeternitas."
- An Encyclopedia of Archetypal Symbolism

Grade	Zodiacal Sign	Emblem (worn or carried)
Corax (Raven)	Mercury	Wand, beaker
Nymophus ("Bride")	Venus	Crown, lamp, veil
Miles (Soldier)	Mars	Helmet, spear
Leo (Lion)	Jupiter	Thunderbolt, "fire-spade"
Perses (Persian)	Moon	Persian sword, scythe
Heliodromos (Sun-runner)	Sun	Crown, torch, whip
Pater (Father)	Saturn	Ring, staff, cap

"...Each grade had a distinctive mask or dress to be worn at rites celebrated secretly in caves."
"According to some students of the subject... converts could be accepted into the 'church' only by undergoing 12 trials, including ordeals by fire, water, hunger, cold, flagellation, bloodletting, and branding. The whole exhausting program lasted from two to seven weeks. Successful candidates swore to keep the rites secret. Then they were baptized."
- Quest for the Past

Mithra & Mithraism - - (CAIS):

In the vaulted border of the cave behind Mithras there is often a raven, sometimes perched but more usually flying towards the god. He brings a message to which the god listens; in some representations Mithras is clearly looking back towards the raven. In classical literature the raven is the messanger of Apollo, and in the Mithraic ritual he is evidently associated with the Apollo like Sun-god seen in the top left-hand corner of the relief. During the course of the actual mysteries the duties of those with the grade of Raven vividly recall the bull-slaying scene; they wear raven's masks (Fig. 5) and perform as heralds the same role as the raven performs for Mithras. The bird conveys Sol's orders to Mithras to kill the bull, and the god carries out the order, although with an expression of anguish on his face. It grieves him to slay the magnificent beast, but like a true soldier he obeys in the knowledge that in the end life will be renewed. On several representations one ray of the seven-rayed halo round the head of Sol shines out towards Mithras and so establishes contact with the god.

Nevertheless the scene is strange because there is no doubt from the evidence that the Sun-god was considered to be inferior to Mithras. Moreover, Mithras himself was also regarded as Sol invictus. One theory has it that Sol was the mediator who, through the raven, conveyed knowledge from Ahura-Mazda or Zeus-Jupiter. A second view is that Sol was originally the superior of Mithras and both were later incorporated into one mighty sun-figure, as When Mithras and Sol ascended to heaven in their chariot. This is a difficult problem to interpret and is still by no means finally resolved.

Midrash Bereishit:

After Hevel was slain, he was lying in a field, his blood spattered over sticks and stones. The dog who had been guarding Hevel's flock now also guarded Hevel's corpse from the beasts of the field and the birds of the sky.

Adam and his mate came and sat by the corpse, weeping and mourning for him, but they did not know what to do with Hevel's body.

A raven whose companion had just died said: I will teach Adam what to do. The raven took his dead companion, dug up the earth before the eyes of Adam and his mate, and buried him in it.

Adam said: We will do as the raven. At once he took Hevel's corpse and buried it in the ground.

relations with other animals:

Raven and Goose-Wife

Whereas many Alaskan birds migrate annually to warmer climates, Raven always stays near his people. In this Eagle Han tale, Raven once tried to fly away with the geese, but decided to stay in Alaska forever.

It is said that Raven once fell in love with a beautiful young goose girl. They stayed together all summer long, but when fall came and snow was soon to arrive, the goose girl wanted to join her relatives to fly south. Raven decided to go with her because he loved her so much and she would not stay.
Now Raven can fly as good as any other bird, but he cannot fly very far at one time. He tried to keep up with the large flock, but he was always growing tired and had to rest often. When the geese did stop to sleep and eat, they always stopped at places where there was no food for Raven. Because of this, he was becoming weaker every day.
The geese were in a hurry to get away from the coming cold and they did not like waiting for Raven all the time. His goose-wife let him ride on her back, but because he was so heavy she couldn't carry him for long. The girl's folks carried Raven for a while, too, but they soon grew tired as well. They took turns like that until they came to the ocean.
The girl's father told Raven that the ocean was very far across and that there would be no place to land and rest. He told him that they could not make it with him on their backs.
Raven thought about this and decided that he would have to stay. He said good-bye to his beloved goose-wife, and then he flew home where he has lived since. Now ravens live here all the time because they can't fly across the ocean like the geese.

relations with other animals:

How Raven Became Black

This is the legend of a fascinating encounter between Raven and Ganook, another Tlingit deity whose power we learn was even greater than Raven's. The myth accounts for the creation of the rivers, lakes and streams, and also of how the raven came to be black.

In the very, very beginning Raven shared the world with several other very powerful beings. The most powerful of all then was Ganook, or The Sitting One. Once, when Raven met Ganook while canoeing on the sea, Ganook wanting to show his power and superiority over Raven, took off his magic hat and made a thick fog cover the entire sea. The fog was so dense that Raven could not even see the front of his canoe! Ganook paddled his craft away from Raven, who was not black then but white, and left him alone. Unable to see at all, Raven wandered about the surface of he sea for a long time. Finally, he became scared and yelled out into the fog, "Ganook! My brother-in-law! Where are you?" But Ganook kept quiet and patiently watched as Raven, his brother-in-law, paddled every which way and became very lost. Raven kept calling for Ganook imploring him to show himself and to make the fog go away. Finally Ganook came up close to him in his canoe. "What is the matter, brother-in-law? Why do you cry so?" he asked the relieved white raven. Ganook placed his hat on his head and instantly the thick fog lifted. Raven looked at Ganook and said, "You are much stonger than I am." "How long have you been living in the world?" asked Ganook. Raven answered that he was born before the world was even at its present place. Then he asked Ganook how long he had lived in the world. The Sitting One answered, "Since the time when the liver has come up from underneath." Raven thought about this for a moment and said, "Yes, you are older than I am." After this Ganook invited Raven to his home, the island of Deikee Noow. Together they ate a feast and Ganook offered the white bird some fresh water. Raven had never drank this beforebecause there was only sea water in the world. Ganook had the only fesh water and he kept it in a giant stone well with a heavy stone lid. Raven very much liked the taste of the water and wanted more but he was afraid to ask because Ganook was more powerful than he was. After the meal, Raven told stories about his origin and about the creation of the world. Ganook listened for a while but became tired and soon fell asleep on the great stone lid which safegaurded the fresh water. When his brother-in-law was fast asleep, Raven took some dog excrement and placed it under Ganook. Having done this, he walked some distance away and called to Ganook. "Wake up! Look at what you have done!" yelled Raven. When he heard Raven's words, Ganook jumped up and saw the excrement. Thinking that he had messed himself, he ran to the sea to wash. Raven wasted no time. He ran to the well and lifted the great lid and drank some water. When he had quenched his thirst he filled his mouth with water. Then he started to fly up through the smokehole but Ganook stopped him. Ganook built a fire and began to smoke the white raven for having tricked him. The smoke from the fire turned Raven black. This is how he became black. He had always been white before. Finally, though, Ganook took pity on his brother-in-law and let Raven go. Raven flew away towards his home on the Nass River and as he flew, drops of the fresh water he stole fell from his beak. Wherever the drops of water landed lakes, rivers and springs appeared upon the land.

relations with humans:

A Story Of Raven
There are numerous Alaskan native legends of Raven tricking, and sometimes killing other animals with his deceit. But this Eskimo tale is one of the few where he tricks, kills, and eats humans.

It is said that a very long time ago Raven used to eat people because they were so easy to trick.
One day, while flying high over the arctic coastline, Raven saw a small village. He was very hungry so he made a plan to get food to eat. He flew low over the village screaming, "Your enemies are coming! Your enemies are comings"
All of the men ran out of their igloos with their spears in hand and asked the great bird what they should do.
Raven landed on top of a cache and addressed the men, "You must surprise them before they reach your village. Go and make camp at the foot of the cliff and wait for them in the morning."
The unsuspecting men thanked Raven and set out for the cliff's base to ambush the attackers in the morning as he had said to do.
When they arrived that night they built shelters at the foot of the steep cliff where Raven had told them to do so. Later that night, after the men had discussed their plans and strategies, their seal oil lamps were extinguished and they all went to sleep.
Once it was dark and the men were asleep, Raven flew to the top of the cliff high above the small camp and landed on an enormous overhang of heavy snow. Raven knew that the great load of snow was ready to fall with only the slightest encouragement, and so he proceeded to jump up and down upon it.
After a few jumps, the overhang collapsed and avalanched down upon the sleeping men. They were completely buried alive by the heavy snow loads
The snow was very deep and because Raven was lazy and didn't want to work to dig the dead men out so that he could eat them, he waited until spring when the snow melted, then he returned to eat them all.
The sun had melted the snow to expose the bodies of the unfortunate people. Raven was very pleased that he would have so much meat to eat. He liked to peck out the eyes of his victims and then eat the eyeballs. For the entire spring he stayed there at the bottom of the cliff gorging himself on the warriors who had listened to his trickery and deceit.

relations with humans:

When Raven Was Killed

Raven had played so many tricks on mankind for so long that one day a great chief decided to kill him. The chief invited Raven to visit him and when the black bird wasn't watching, he quickly threw him into a large skin bag which he tied tightly shut so that the troublesome bird would not escape.  Then, with the large bag over his shoulder, the man began to climb a very high and steep mountain which was close by the village. It was very dark inside of the skin bag so Raven could not see anything.  He asked the man what he was doing, but the chief ignored him. As the chief climbed higher and higher, Raven spoke out again.  "Where are you taking me?" he asked.  The chief just kept on climbing.  "I can tell that you are climbing a mountain," insisted Raven. "Why are you carrying me there? What are you going to do to me?"  The man ignored him still and continued to climb.  Raven warned the chief that he would be sorry if he killed him, saying that bad things would befall his people.  When the chief was on top of the mountain he threw the bag with Raven over the side. As it fell, it struck the side of the steep cliff and ripped open. Raven was torn to pieces by the jagged rocks as he crashed to the ground far below. The chief had killed Raven!  When the chief returned to his village, he showed the people the pieces of Raven so that they knew what he had done. All of the men called him a great chief for killing the mischievous trickster. For several days the villagers were happy and they celebrated.  Finally, though, some people started to notice that all of the water was gone. They went to the river, but it was dry. They went to a lake, but it was empty. There was no water to be found! Then the people began to get thirsty. They knew that they could not live long without water.  The people asked why the water had vanished and a shaman told them that it was gone because the chief had killed Raven. Now the villagers were not happy that Raven was dead and they wanted him back before everyone died.  The shaman told the chief that he had to put Raven back together. The chief took all of the pieces of the dead bird and put them together again. When he was finished Raven came back to life! He jumped up and started to fly away, but he first asked the chief why he had brought him back to life.  "All of the water has gone," the chief replied, "and only you can return it."
Raven flew up higher and then spoke to the man, "Look around you, there is water everywhere."  The chief turned and saw that the lake was full and that the river ran deep and fast again.  As Raven disappeared in the distance, the chief promised never to try to kill Raven again.  Because of his powers and role in their heritage, natives do not kill ravens.

Wakiash and the First Totem Pole (Kwakiutl Legend):

Wakiash was a chief named after the river Wakiash because he was openhanded and flowing with gifts, even as the river flowed with fish.

It happened once that the whole tribe was having a dance. Wakiash had never created a dance of his own, and he was unhappy because all the other chiefs had fine dances.

So he thought: "I will go up into the mountains to fast, and perhaps a dance will come to me."

Wakiash made himself ready and went to the mountains, where he stayed, fasting and bathing, for four days. Early in the morning of the fourth day, he grew so weary that he lay upon his back and fell asleep. Then he felt something on his breast and woke up to see a little green frog.

"Lie still," the frog said, "because you are on the back of a raven who is going to fly you and me around the world. Then you can see what you want and take it."

The raven began to beat its wings, and they flew for four days, during which Wakiash saw many things. When they were on their way back, he spotted a house with a beautiful totem pole in the front and heard the sound of singing inside the house.

Thinking that these were fine things, he wished he could take them home.

The frog, who knew his thoughts, told the raven to stop. As the bird coasted to the ground, the frog advised the chief to hide behind the door of the house.

"Stay there until they begin to dance," the frog said. "Then leap out into the room.

"The people tried to begin a dance but could do nothing--neither dance nor sing.

One of them said, "Something's the matter; there must be something near us that makes us feel like this."

And the chief said, "Let one of us who can run faster than the flames of the fire rush around the house and find what it is.

"So the little mouse said that she would go, for she could creep anywhere, even into a box, and if anyone were hiding she would find him.

The mouse had taken off her mouse-skin clothes and was presently appearing in the form of a woman. Indeed, all the people in the house were animals who looked like humans because they had taken off their animal-skin clothes to dance.

When the mouse ran out, Wakiash caught her and said, "Ha, my friend, I have a gift for you." And he gave her a piece of mountain-goat's fat.

The mouse was so pleased with Wakiash that she began talking to him. "What do you want?" she asked eventually.

Wakiash said that he wanted the totem pole, the house, and the dances and songs that belonged to them.

The mouse said, "Stay here; wait till I come again. "

Wakiash stayed, and the mouse went in and told the dancers, "I've been everywhere to see if there's a man around, but I couldn't find anybody."

And the chief who looked like a man, but was really a beaver, said, "Let's try again to dance."

They tried three times but couldn't do anything, and each time they sent the mouse to search. But each time the mouse only chatted with Wakiash and returned to report that no one was there.

The third time she was sent out, she said to him, "Get ready, and when they begin to dance,leap into the room. "Then the mouse told the animals again that no one was there, and they began to dance.

Wakiash sprang in, and at once they all dropped their heads in shame, because a man had seen them looking like men, whereas they were really animals.

The dancers stood silent until at last the mouse said: "Let's not waste time; let's ask our friend what he wants. "

So they all lifted up their heads, and the chief asked the man what he wanted.

Wakiash thought he would like to have the dance, because he had never had one of his own. Also, he thought, he would like to have the house and the totem pole that he had seen outside.

Though the man did not speak, the mouse divined his thoughts and told the dancers.

And the chief said, "Let our friend sit down. We'll show him how we dance, and he can pick out whatever dance he wants. "

So they began to dance, and when they had ended, the chief asked Wakiash what kind of dance he would like. The dancers had been using all sorts of masks.

Most of all Wakiash wanted the Echo mask and the mask of the Little Man who goes about the house talking, and talking, and trying to quarrel with others.

Waskiash only formed his wishes in his mind; the mouse told them to the chief.

So the animals taught Wakiash all their dances, and the chief told him that he might take as many dances and masks as he wished, as well as the house and the totem pole.

The beaver-chief promised Waskiash that things would all go with him when he returned home, and that he could use them all in one dance.

The chief also gave him for his own the name of the totem pole, Kalakuyuwish, meaning sky pole, because the pole was so tall.

The chief took the house and folded it up like a little bundle. He put it into the headdress of one of the dancers and gave it to Wakiash, saying, "When you reach home, throw down this bundle. The house will become as it was when you first saw it, and they you can begin to give a dance."

Wakiash went back to the raven, and the raven flew away with him toward the mountain from which they had set out.

Before they arrived, Wakiash fell asleep, and when he awoke, the raven and the frog were gone and he was alone. It was night by the time Wakiash arrived home.

He threw down the bundle that was in the headdress, and there was the house with its totem pole! The whale painted on the house was blowing, the animals carved on the totem pole were making their noises, and all the masks inside the house were crying aloud.

At once Wakiash's people woke up and came out to see what was happening, and Wakiash found that instead of four days, he had been away for four years.

They all went into the new house, and Wakiash began to make a dance.

Then the Echo came, and whoever made a noise, the Echo made the same by changing the mouthpieces of its mask.

When they had finished dancing, the house was gone; it went back to the animals. And all the chiefs were ashamed because Wakiash now had the best dance.

Wakiash made a house and masks and a totem pole out of wood, and when the totem pole was finished, the people composed a song for it. This pole was the first the tribe had ever had.

The animals had named it Kalakuyuwish, "the pole that holds up the sky," and they said it made a creaking noise because the sky was so heavy. And Wakiash took for his own the name of the totem pole, Kalakuyuwish.

SOURCE: 1-Based on a version reported by Natalie Curtis in The Indian's Book, 1997. *Cottie Burland, North American Indian Mythology, Paul Hamlyn, London, 1965, p. 31.

the trickster:

Raven Steals The Light
A similar account of this oral narrative appears in Eskimo mythology. The Tanaina legend below from Nondalton closely resembles another Athabaskan tale by the Upper Tanana Indians of Tetlin and Northway. In that version, however, Raven becomes a piece of moss.

There once lived a very powerful and rich chief who had a beautiful young daughter. Somehow, the chief got the sun and the moon and he hung them up in his house. Because he had the sun and the moon, it became dark everywhere. Because of the darkness, the people could not hunt or fish. When they went out to find wood to burn in their fires, they had to crawl around in the forest feeling with their hands until they found something which might be wood. Then they would bite it to make certain that it was indeed firewood. Raven learned that the great chief had taken the sun and moon, so he went to his house to take it back. He asked the chief if he would return the sun and moon, but he would not. So the smart black bird devised a plan. He saw how the chief's daughter went to a small stream to get water every morning, so he hid near there and waited for her to return. When he saw her coming down the trail, he turned himself into a fingerling, a tiny fish, and jumped into the water. After the girl arrived, she filled a bucket with water. Then she dipped her drinking cup into the stream and Raven, disguised as a fingerling, quickly swam into it. She did not see Raven and drank the water. Inside her body, Raven turned into a baby and so the girl became pregnant. After a short time the daughter gave birth to a baby boy which was really Raven. The baby grew fast and was soon a young boy. The grandfather was very fond of his grandson and would do anything for him. One day the boy began crying for something. The chief asked him, "What do you want, grandson?" The boy pointed to the sun and moon hanging from the ceiling. The chief decided to let him play with them if it would make him stop crying. So the boy took them outside and played with them for a while, but then he threw them high into the air. When the old chief ran out to see what had happened, Raven became himself again and flew away. Since that time there has been light.

Saint Expedite:

There is a cute pun in what the crow says: CRAS CRAS CRAS is how Romans imitated the sound of crows (in English, this is CAW CAW CAW), thus crows and ravens are said to always be croaking about "tomorrow, tomorrow, tomorrow."

creation:

Raven steals the sun, stars, and moon
Just as western religion suggests that the world was void of light in the beginning, so too does this Tlingit tale in which Raven steals the sun, moon, and the stars and then releases them. There are similar documented ethnographic accounts in Eskimo, Upper Tanana, Tanaina, Koyukuk, Deg Hit'an, Ahtna, and Tsimshian mythology. In some versions Raven turns himself into a hemlock needle to impregnate a young woman, while in others he becomes a spruce needle, a small fish, and even a piece of fine moss.

In the beginning there was no moon or stars at night. Raven was the most powerful being. He had made all of the animals, fish, trees, and men. He had made all living creatures. But they were all living in darkness because he had not made the sun either. One day, Raven learned that there was a chief living on the banks of the Nass River who had a very wonderful daughter who possessed the sun, the moon, and the stars in a carved cedar box. The chief and his people guarded her and the treasure well. Raven knew that he must trick the villagers to steal their treasure, so he decided to turn himself into a grandchild of the great chief. Raven flew upon a tall tree over their house and turned himself into a hemlock needle. Then, as the needle, he fell into the daughter's drinking cup apd when she filled it with water, she drank the needle. Inside the chief's daughter, Raven became a baby and soon the young woman bore a son who was dearly loved by the chief and was given whatever he asked for. The stars, moon and the sun were each in a beautifully carved cedar box which sat on the wood floor of the house. The grandchild, who was actually Raven, wanted to play with them and wouldn't stop crying until the grandfather gave them to him. As soon as he had them Raven threw them up through the smokehole. Instantly, they scattered across the sky. Although the grandfather was unhappy, he loved his grandson too much to punish him for what he had done. Now that he had tossed the stars and moon out the smokehole, the little grandson began crying for the box containing sunlight. He cried and cried and would not stop. He was actually making himself sick because he was crying so much. Finally, the grandfather gave him the box. Raven played with the box for a long time. Suddenly, he turned himself back into a bird and flew up through the smokehole with the box. Once he was far away from the village on the Nass River he heard people speaking in the darkness and approached them. Who are you and would you like to have light?" he asked them. They said that he was a liar and that no one could give light. To show them that he was telling the truth, Raven opened the ornately carved box and let sunlight into the world. The people were so frightened by it that they fled to every corner of the world. This is why there are Raven's people everywhere. Now there are stars, the moon, and daylight and it is no longer dark all of the time.

creation:

Dotson ' Sa, Great Raven Makes The World
This is a wonderful narrative, told in Koyukuk and Upper Kuskokwim, in which Dotson' Sa, the Great Raven, creates the world. In it, there is a global flood such as that found in Genesis in the Judeo-Christian biblical account, and Raven himself acts as Noah.

A very, very long time ago, giant animals lived in the world and there was no such thing as mankind. They were all big and could talk to each other and use magic. There were even some animals which no longer live on earth.
One day Dotson' Sa, Great Raven, said to Raven, "Make a large raft."
So Raven made a large boat. It took a long time because it had to be very big. When Raven was finished, Dotson' Sa told him it wasn't big enough.
"You must build it bigger," he said.
When it was finished, it began to rain. At first it rained only a little and Dotson' Sa instructed Raven to gather all of the animals in pairs. Raven gathered the animals and food for them. It was very difficult but he did it anyhow.
Once all of the animals were on the raft, it started to rain very hard. The whole world was soon flooded and only those animals on the raft were left in the world.
When it stopped raining Raven asked some seagulls to fly in every direction in search of land. They flew away and returned saying how there was no land in sight. There was only water!
After a while the food was almost gone. Raven told Muskrat to swim down to the ocean floor to make an island. The muskrat, who was really quite large, dived down and started piling up the mud from the bottom. He kept this up until land appeared.
Dotson' Sa used his magic and made berries, trees, and plants cover the land. When he had done this, lakes and ponds were left where there had been low spots in the land. Next, Great Raven made rivers. He made them so that they flowed both ways! On one side the river ran down to the sea, and on the other it flowed up towards the mountains!
Later, though, he decided that it was too easy to travel and so he made it so that rivers only went down to the sea.
Now that the flood was gone and there was land, Dotson' Sa decided to make man. He created him from stone but because he was made of rock, man would never die and so Great Raven decided to make him from clay instead. After he had made man, he made woman so that they could be married and have children. Raven wanted a wife so he tried to marry one of the women but the men took her away from him. This made Raven mad, so he took some dried leaves and crushed them into a large bag. He took the bag and went to where the people lived and opened it. Out flew millions of mosquitos which still pester and bite mankind because Raven wasn't allowed to marry a woman.
Now Raven had created the whole world. That is why he is never hunted because he made everything.

creation:

The Creation Legend
Like many legends, in the beginning of time the world was only water; land had to be made before humankind could be created. As in other times, this duty fell to Raven.

A very long time ago, Raven was flying over the big waters and saw a beautiful fish woman swimming below. Raven fell in love with her and flew down to ask her to marry him. The fish woman was happy to see him, but before she would marry him she made him agree to one condition.
"I will marry you, Raven," she said, "if you will make some land so that I don't have to swim all of the time and I can dry my hair on the beach."
Raven agreed to her request and flew away to make land. He wanted someone to help him so he went to find help.
He flew around until he found a seal swimming in the warm waters.
"Seal," said Raven, "I need some sand from the bottom of the sea. Will you dive down and bring up some for me?"
Raven was very clever and did not tell the seal what he wanted the sand for.
Seal replied, "I will have to ask Frog for the sand."
Raven thought for a moment and said, "If you will ask Frog to get the sand for me, I will grant you both a favor."
"Oh," said Seal, "I'd like to have a shiny, warm coat of fur to keep me warm instead of these slimy scales. Then I could swim in the colder waters and keep warm."
Raven promised Seal the fur coat if he'd get the sand for him. At once Seal dived to the bottom of the sea where he found Frog. He told him of Raven's request and promise to grant them both a favor.
Frog told Seal, "Tell Raven that if he wants my sand he will have to make me Keeper-of-the-Earth's-Treasures, once and for all."
Seal was amazed at such a request but told it to Raven who was also amazed.
"That's asking for a lot," Raven said, "but tell Frog that if he gives me the sand I will grant his request."
With that, Seal again dived down deep to speak with Frog, all the while wishing that he had asked for more than just a fur coat.
When he told Frog that Raven agreed, Frog filled an old frogskin with sand and gave it to Seal.
As soon as Raven had the sand, he flew high into the air where the wind was blowing the strongest. Then, he opened the frogskin and cast the sand into the wind where it was scattered to all four corners of the world. Every place that a grain of sand landed, an island was formed. Some islands were bigger than others because the sand grain it was made from must have been bigger than others.
Once the land was made, the fish woman walked on the beach and dried her hair for the first time in her life. She agreed to marry Raven, and from their marriage came the great Raven clan.
For their help, Seal received a warm fur coat and Frog became the guardian of the earth's treasures.

A crow by any other name...:

Raven

A group of Ravens is called 'An Unkindness'. It can also be a 'Constable' or 'Conspiracy', though, depending on what they are doing at the time. For example, an unkindness of ravens might torment a dog and steal its food. A constable of ravens is stationed at the Tower of London. A conspiracy of ravens might be seen lurking in the shadows of a garbage dump.

Foreign names for 'Raven'

Algonquin: Kagagi
Cherokee: Kalanu
Cree: Kakakiw (pronounced Kukahkiw)
Danish: Ravn (pronounced like round without the d)
Dutch: Raaf or Rafn
Esperanto: Korv/o
Finnish: Korppi
French: Corbeau (or Grand Corbeau)
Gaelic: Bran
German: Kolkrabe
Greek: Korakas
Hungarian: Hollo
Icelandic: Hrafn
Irish: Fiach
Italian: Corvo
Japanese: Watarigarasu
Lakota: Kangi Tanka
Latin: Corvus
Navajo: Gaagii (crow or raven)
Norweigan: Ravn
Old English: Hrafn, Hrefn, Hrfn, Hremn, or Hremm
Russian: Voron (vO-ron) or Vron
Scots Gaelic: Fitheach
Slovenian: Krokar
Spanish: Cuervo
Swedish: Korp, or plural: Korpar
Turkish: Kuzgun
Ukrainian: Kruk
Welsh: Cigfrain
Yup'ik Eskimo: Tulukaruk