A few days ago I suppose my neighbor decided he had had enough of the conversation the Crows outside our respective windows seemed to be carrying on EVERY MORNING. He took it upon himself to silence the incessant CAWING by assaulting the crows with rocks. One crow flew away and the other stayed put. He seemed indignant by my neighbors rather rude aggressive behavior. He cawed defiantly a few more times and flew away. (I guess the pelting kinda worked because there has been no cawing since.)

Though the whole time I thought to myself, “Oooo the neighbor’s gonna get it.” This incident got me to thinking about crow’s.

Many many moon’s ago one of my very first Anthropology classes was called, The study of Magic, Witchcraft, and Religion. In which I learned about many things including an introduction to the mythological significants of Crow’s among the various cultures of the Americas.

Not only in the America’s but through out the world and through out time crow’s have always held a particularly special mystique about them unlike any other run of the mill everyday animal. According to authors Jamie Sams & David Carson in their book, Medicine Cards the Discovery Of Power Through The Ways Of Animals. Crow’s signify sacred law among other things. Ted Andrews in his book Animal Speak also has many interesting things to say about the magical qualities of this seemingly obnoxious bird.

Crow’s share a trickster quality with Coyote in North American lore as well as a kinship with whales to the Inuit people of Alaska. In Roman and Greek mythology they are associated with the Sun God Apollo. In Norse tradition they were the God Odin’s totem animal. They can even be found in stories of the Bible feeding the prophet Elijah.

Though my favorite tales of Crows being Crows are much more recent. Back in 2008 I started hearing news reports of people in Japan being attacked by pesky Crows. The phenomena continues today. Though the things that strikes me the most is that these are no “random” attacks. The Crow’s know what they are doing and who they are doing it to. Makes me think of my neighbor and the meaning of “eating crow” which is basically don’t start a fight you can’t win. Why, anyone would pick a fight with a creature who is smart enough to decide for itself that it’d rather rule in Hell then serve in Heaven, is beyond me.