The crow has long been a symbol of intelligence, transformation, and mystery in folklore across various cultures. Often associated with omens, trickery, and messages from the spirit world, the crow’s distinctive appearance and behavior have inspired countless myths that reflect both reverence and superstition. In this article, we will explore the most significant stories and legends about the crow, analyze their deeper meaning, and examine how these myths align with the bird’s real-life behavior.
Stories of the crow
The Story of the Crow and the Hawk
The crow was in great distress, for no matter what she tried, she could not rear a family. No sooner were her young hatched than the hawk would come and snatch them away. In vain did she try to hide her nest in the hollows of a tree or in the thickets of a bush; as sure as death, the hawk would find them and eat them.
Not knowing what to do, the crow thought to herself, “What if I get the hawk to be godmother to my children? Then, being a near relation, she is sure to spare my little ones.” Said and done. She went out to find the hawk, and upon meeting her, she said, “Good morning, sister.”
“Good morning,” replied the hawk.
“How pleased I would be,” said the crow, “if you would become godmother to my children.”
“With pleasure,” replied the hawk. “Why not?” And so they made a covenant of friendship and good-fellowship between them.
Before leaving, the crow added, “Now, sister, I have one request to make.”
“Granted,” said the hawk. “What is it?”
“I only beg you to spare my children. Do not eat them when you find them.”
“All right,” replied the hawk. “I shall certainly not touch them. But tell me – how do they look, so that if I meet them, I may spare them?”
“Oh,” said the crow, “mine are the most beautiful creatures in the world. They are more lovely than any other bird can boast of.”
“Very well. Rest assured. Go in peace.” And they parted.
The crow, satisfied with the hawk’s promise, flew off the next day to find food for her young. The hawk, meanwhile, went about her own business, looking for something to eat. As she flew, she saw the young of thrushes, blackbirds, and other beautiful birds. She thought to herself, “Surely these must be the crow’s children; look how lovely and beautiful they are. I will not touch them.”
She went hungry that day, and the next day, the same thing happened. Still, the hawk kept her word and would not touch the beautiful young birds.
By the third day, the hawk was so hungry she could barely see. Roaming about, she suddenly stumbled upon the crow’s nest. She looked at the little, miserable, ugly chicks and thought, “These can’t possibly be the crow’s children, so highly praised for their beauty. They must belong to some hideous bird.” At first, the hawk hesitated, but hunger knows no patience. Finding nothing better, she sat down and gobbled them up one by one, then flew away.
Not long after, the crow returned, confident that this time her little ones would be safe. But how great was her dismay when she found the nest empty! At first, she thought the young birds had tried their wings and were flying nearby, so she searched for them. When she didn’t find them, her anxiety grew. Searching more closely, she found tufts of feathers, little bones, and traces of blood near some rushes. She knew at once that the hawk had been there and had eaten her children.
Full of wrath and fury, the crow went to find the hawk. When they met, she cried, “A fine sister and godmother you are! After promising most faithfully not to touch my children, no sooner had I turned my back than you came and ate them!”
“I do not understand what you are saying,” replied the hawk. “It is your own fault. You told me your children were the most beautiful in the world, and those I ate were monsters of hideousness. If I hadn’t been so desperately hungry, I wouldn’t have touched them – they were so ugly they nearly made me sick.”
“So that’s how you keep your promises?” shouted the angry crow. “Not only do you eat my children, but you have the impudence to lie and insult me! Off with you! And woe betide you if I ever catch you – I will teach you to behave properly.”
From that day on, hawks attacked crows whenever they crossed paths, and from that day forward, there has been implacable hatred between the crows and the hawks.
The Greedy Crow
One day, a crow found a piece of meat on the ground. He picked it up and flew to the top of a tree. While he was sitting there eating his meat, a kasaykasay (a small bird) passed by, carrying a dead rat and flying very fast. The crow called to her and said, “Kasaykasay, where did you get that dead rat you have?”
But the small bird did not answer and flew on her way. When the crow saw that she paid no attention to him, he grew very angry and called out, “Kasaykasay, Kasaykasay! Stop and give me a piece of that rat, or I will follow you and take the whole thing for myself!”
Still, the small bird paid no attention to him. At last, full of greed and rage, the crow was determined to have the rat by any means. He left the meat he was eating and flew after the small creature. Although she was only a little bird, the kasaykasay could fly faster than the crow, so he could not catch her.
While the crow was chasing the kasaykasay, a hawk happened to pass by the tree where the crow had left his meat. The hawk saw the meat and at once seized it in his claws and flew away.
Although the crow pursued the kasaykasay for a long time, he could not overtake her. At last, he gave up his attempt and flew back to the tree where he had left his meat. But when he arrived and found the meat was gone, he was almost ready to die of disappointment and hunger.
By and by, the hawk that had taken the meat passed the tree again. He called to the crow and said, “Mr. Crow, do you know that I am the one who took your meat? If not, I will tell you now, and I am very sorry for you.”
The Learned Crow and the Bishop
There once was a very learned Bishop who saw a large nest high in an elm tree. Curious, he climbed up and found it full of young crow chicks. One chick had such a winsome appearance that the Bishop decided to take it home to his palace.
In time, the crow grew up, surrounded by the Bishop and his friends who often discussed divinity. Gradually, the crow became quite clever in theological matters. He learned all the kings of Israel and Judah and knew the cities of refuge. The fame of this learned crow spread far and wide until it eventually reached the King’s ears.
The Bishop had been expecting this all along. He was a rather greedy man, and he hoped to gain favor from the King through the crow. To that end, he trained the crow to fly toward anything that shone brightly, such as gold and silver.
“When the King asks me to show off my crow,” the Bishop thought, “I will demand as a reward whatever the crow chooses. Surely, he will fly to the King’s crown, and I shall become King!”
At first, everything went according to plan. The King sent word that he wished to see the crow. Sitting in his garden, the King asked to hear the crow recite all the kings of Israel and Judah.
“With pleasure, sire,” said the Bishop, “if Your Majesty will grant him whatever reward he chooses. He has been well taught and will not work for nothing.”
“Let him choose his reward, and I will give it,” said the King.
The crow recited all the kings of Israel and Judah flawlessly, forwards and backwards, without a single mistake. The King was delighted, admitting that even he could not have done as much.
“And now, sire,” said the Bishop, “I will let him go and tell him to choose his reward.”
The Bishop released the crow, who flew straight toward the King’s crown. But suddenly, the crow spotted a dead cat nearby. In an instant, he turned away from the crown and swooped down on the carcass. As you know, crows feast on dead things and offal, and this crow preferred a dead cat for dinner over a golden crown.
The King laughed heartily. “He has chosen his reward, and by my royal beard, he shall have it!”
But the Bishop felt very rueful indeed. All his efforts and plans had come to nothing. Shaking his head, he walked away, singing a little chant he made up on the spot:
I kept my crow in a lovely cage,
But still ’tis true, whatever he may know,
A dirty crow is a dirty crow.
The Crow and the Raven: A Tale of Gossip and Punishment
The crow was a notorious gossip and tell-tale. He often repeated everything the raven said, warning others and spoiling the raven’s plans. Determined to punish the crow, the raven devised a trick. Disguised as a great chief, the raven acquired a large canoe, dressed finely, and surrounded himself with small birds acting as servants and paddlers. They traveled to where the crow lived, and the crow invited the raven into his home.
The crow asked, “What phratry do you belong to?”
“Katce’de,” replied the raven.
The raven then asked the crow the same question. Wanting to impress, the crow boasted, “I am the chief of Katce’de!”
“Well then, keep me overnight,” said the raven.
During the evening, the raven performed a strange act. He pulled out his tongue to an extraordinary length, placed a louse on the tip, and then swallowed it, saying, “That is very sweet.”
The crow, curious and eager to mimic the raven, tried to do the same. But he could not extend his tongue as far. Seeing this, the raven said, “Brother, I will help you.” He grabbed the crow’s tongue and pulled it out of his head.
“Now, talk!” the raven commanded.
The crow tried to speak, but his voice was feeble, and no one could understand what he said.
The raven declared, “Now you are only a crow, but I am a raven. You cannot tell on me anymore.”
This is why, to this day, crows caw feebly, while ravens croak loudly.
The Crow and the Great Flood (Pawnee Creation Myth)
According to the Pawnee, in ancient times, Tirawa created the world and its people. The men he created were strong but grew wicked. They forgot the gods who had made and helped them. They even turned their backs on the sun.
This angered Tirawa, who called upon Paruxti, the cloud, to send rain upon the people. But they only laughed. Tirawa sent more rain, and still, they mocked. Finally, Tirawa’s anger became terrible. “I will destroy them!” he declared. “Rain and rain until all are drowned!”
Paruxti obeyed, and the rain continued until the water covered the earth, trees, and mountains. All the people drowned.
Tirawa then sent a crow with a command: “If the waters have gone down, you will find beasts and people lying on the ground. Do not touch them, but come back and tell me.”
But the crow disobeyed. When he saw the dead beasts, he ate them. From above, Tirawa saw the crow’s disobedience and grew angry.
“Do not come back to Tirawahut!” Tirawa thundered. “You have disobeyed me. Forever you shall stay upon the earth and live on dead things.”
The crow, realizing his mistake, flew to the earth, crying mournfully, Caw! Caw! – a sound of grief for being banished from Tirawa’s presence.
Tirawa, sorrowing for the people who were no more, created new men and women and sent Lightning to bear them to earth, repopulating the world.
The Crow Brings the First Grains (New England Tribes)
In the tales of the New England tribes, though the crow often damaged their corn, hardly any Native American would kill one. This was because of a tradition that the crow had brought them their first grains and vegetables. According to legend, the crow carried a grain of corn in one ear and a bean in the other from the fields of their great god, Cautantouwit, in Sowwaniu – the Southwest, the happy spirit-world where the gods and the souls of the great and good dwelt.
The Crow as Messenger of the Spirit World (Paiute Belief)
For the Paiutes, the crow was regarded as a directing messenger from the spirit world. Its black color served as a reminder of death and the shadow-land.
The Crow Shapes the Landscape
One story tells of the crow shaping the landscape between the spirit world and the earth. Picking up a pebble in his beak, the crow dropped it into the water, and it became a towering mountain leading up to the land of the dead. Down its rocky slope, the crow led his army until they halted at the water’s edge. Then, taking some dust in his bill, the crow flew out and dropped it into the water, where it became a solid arm of land stretching from the spirit world to the earth. The crow returned again, this time with blades of grass, which he dropped on the new land, instantly covering it with green sod. On his final journey, the crow brought twigs in his bill and, dropping them upon the land, it was immediately transformed into a forest of trees.
The Disobedient Children Turned into Crows
Across different Native American traditions, there are stories of children transformed into crows as punishment for disobedience, symbolizing the crow’s role as a reminder of moral lessons and consequences.
In the Moon of Falling Leaves, an Indian mother – the wife of a chief – took her children into the forest to help gather spruce boughs for collecting salmon eggs. Leaving the children to watch over a pile of boughs on the beach, she ventured deeper into the woods. When she returned, the children were gone. She called out for them, but was answered only by the cawing of crows flying over the forest. For their wandering and disobedience, the children were doomed to live as crows forevermore. To this day, crows are carved on the totems of their tribe as a reminder of this tale.
A similar story comes from the Pawnee tribe. A woman and her two children were in the woods, and while she was cutting boughs, her children disobeyed her warnings and wandered off. When she noticed they were missing, she searched desperately. By a stream, she encountered a beaver and asked, “Have you seen my children?” The beaver replied mournfully, “I have not seen them.”
Distraught, the mother called out to her friendly spirits for help, but they too were sorrowful. “We cannot help you,” they said. “The fairies have turned your children into crows because they disobeyed you. Now they must remain in the forest forever.” Overwhelmed with grief, the mother fled the woods and told her husband what had happened. She wept for many days, and to commemorate their loss, the husband carved the story onto the totem pole before their lodge, where it stands to this day.
When crows call from the forest, children cling close to their mothers, who gently wrap their arms around them and say, “It is good for children to obey.”
Observations and cultural accounts
The Court of Crows
While many crow tales revolve around transformation and trickery, some stories arise directly from observations of their peculiar real-world behavior. According to Landt, a Danish writer, crows are singularly troublesome in the Faroe Islands, deriving much of their subsistence from plunder. Not content with picking seeds from the fields, they dig up newly planted potatoes, destroy barley before it ripens, cut off the roots of cabbages and other garden vegetables, devour fish hung up to dry, and carry off goslings and ducklings. Necessity has made them omnivorous – they will even enter houses where people are sitting, searching for prey.
But the most extraordinary fact about them relates to the curious assemblies known as Crow Courts or Parliaments, observed not only in the Faroe Islands but also in the Scottish Isles.
The crows gather in great numbers, as if they have been summoned for a formal occasion. A few of the flock sit with drooping heads, others appear as grave as judges, while some are exceedingly active and noisy. After about an hour, the company disperses, and it is not uncommon to find one or two crows left dead on the spot after the gathering.
Dr. Arthur Edmondston, in his View of the Ancient and Present State of the Zetland Islands, notes that sometimes these meetings are not complete until a day or two has passed, with crows arriving from all directions to attend the session. As soon as they are all assembled, a loud, general noise erupts, and shortly afterward, the entire group falls upon one or two individuals and puts them to death. Once the execution is performed, the crows quietly disperse.
In addition to their organized assemblies, the crows in the Faroe Islands also feed on shellfish, which they carry to considerable heights and drop onto rocks to break them open.
The Crow as Future Teller during Kivak Jatra in India
This story describes part of the Indian festival known as the Kivak Jatra (Crow Festival). In the early afternoon, a procession started from the palace with swordsmen and dignitaries, including the Raja, who was carried on an elephant. Along the route, every householder stood at the gateway of their garden with offerings: a stem of sugarcane or plantain stuck in a lump of mud, some betel nut, rice, water, and occasionally pieces of sugarcane and a burning pinewood stick.
At the designated site, grass sheds had been erected in the form of a hollow square, facing inward. The Raja and his entourage took their seats within, while spearmen, swordsmen, and others displayed their skills in the open space at the center. As soon as the Raja had taken his seat, five or six horsemen set off to the location of the special ceremony, about a quarter to half a mile further on.
For months leading up to the festival, rice had been thrown daily under a specific tree, attracting a large number of crows accustomed to gathering there for their meal. When the horsemen arrived, rice was scattered, and the crows swooped down to feed. Then, a man with a gun crept up and fired a blank round from a few yards away. The startled birds took flight, and the direction of the first bird to rise was believed to determine the future of the Raja and the state for the coming year.
In this instance, the bird flew north, which was said to foretell cheap rice.
The following interpretations were attached to different directions of flight:
- North-East: If the bird flies in this direction and quickly returns to the rice, it signals extreme good fortune for the Raja.
- North-West: A plentiful supply of rice and fish.
- West: The receipt of news about wars in other countries.
- South-West: An increase in worms and mosquitoes, causing discomfort for the Raja and the people.
- South: Widespread sickness and many deaths.
- South-East: Disturbances in the country, with lives lost in war and attacks by wild beasts.
- East: Happiness for the Raja.
The reason these meanings are attached to specific directions remains unclear. As soon as the birds had flown, the horsemen galloped back to inform the Raja of the outcome.
In the year A.D. 1726–27, Raja Gharib Nawaz, the first convert to Hinduism despite his Mohammedan name, altered the festival to its present form. He ordained that crows should replace the wakhembam, a previously revered bird, due to their abundance. It was only after this change that the flight of the crows became considered prophetic. The crow, believed to be mystical, was thought to know the future and reveal it when startled. Before this, the holy bird wakhembam was responsible for foretelling the future.
Deep dive into crow symbolism
Across cultures, crows symbolize a vast spectrum of meanings, ranging from wisdom and prophecy to death, transformation, and mischief. Their black plumage often links them to the spiritual world, representing mystery, the unknown, and the thin boundary between life and death.
In many traditions, crows serve as messengers between worlds. For the Paiutes and during the Kivak Jatra festival in India, crows act as spiritual guides, delivering omens and prophetic messages. Their role as intermediaries between the earthly and the divine is a recurring theme, highlighting their symbolism of foresight and intuition.
Crows also symbolize justice and social order. The Crow Courts of the Faroe and Scottish Isles reflect the crow’s deep social intelligence and their role as arbiters of fairness within their own communities. These gatherings, where crows seemingly pass judgment and execute punishments, reinforce their image as creatures of communal law and moral consequence.
At the same time, crows are often depicted as figures of transformation and punishment. Stories like The Disobedient Children Turned into Crows and The Crow and the Great Flood symbolize the crow as a harbinger of change, whether through personal transformation or as a reminder of divine consequences for disobedience. This duality of being both guide and warning reflects the complex spiritual meaning crows hold in folklore.
However, not all crow symbolism is lofty. Tales like The Greedy Crow and The Learned Crow and the Bishop illustrate the crow’s mischievous and foolish side, where cleverness is often undercut by greed or instinct. These stories symbolize the crow’s role as a trickster, reminding us of the balance between intelligence and folly.
Additionally, crows are creators and providers in many myths. In New England tribal folklore, the crow is revered for bringing the first grains and vegetables, symbolizing abundance and provision. In other legends, the crow shapes the landscape itself, symbolizing its role as a force of creation and transformation.
This rich tapestry of meanings makes the crow a multifaceted symbol in folklore – at once a messenger, a judge, a trickster, and a creator. Their enduring presence in myths and stories reflects humanity’s fascination with their intelligence, adaptability, and mysterious nature.
Other crow tales and global symbolism
Beyond the stories explored here, crows appear in countless other myths and legends worldwide, symbolizing everything from wisdom and prophecy to trickery and transformation.
In Norwegian folklore, crows are believed to descend to hell once a year, where they must present Satan with a tribute of feathers. This grim ritual highlights the crow’s association with death, the underworld, and spiritual debts.
In Scotland, crows carry deep symbolic weight. The supreme war-goddess of the Gaels, Morrigu (also known as the Red Woman) often disguised herself as a carrion-crow, reveling among the slain on battlefields. This connection to Morrigu underscores the crow as a symbol of war, fate, and transformation. Additionally, Scottish folklore holds that a crow can never be put to shame. When a lapwing accused the crow of stealing eggs, the crow coolly responded, “Nor did we ourselves, though it is we who are older,” symbolizing the bird’s unapologetic nature and cunning reputation.
In Brittany, France, it is said that two crows perch on a family’s rooftop when the head of the household is about to die. Each family is believed to have two crows assigned to them, acting as omens and forecasters of family events, reinforcing the crow’s role as a harbinger of death and change.
In England, an old tradition suggests that boiling eggs from a crow’s nest and returning them can invoke a magical reaction. The crow, realizing the trick, flies far to find a special stone that can revive the eggs. If the stone is stolen, it is believed to increase wealth, bestow honors, and foretell future events, symbolizing the crow’s connection to mystical knowledge and prosperity. Interestingly, this ritual is linked to April 1st, blending superstition with the playful spirit of April Fool’s Day.
In German Switzerland, a crow perching on the roof of a house containing a corpse is considered a sign that the soul of the deceased is irrevocably damned. This belief ties the crow to judgment and the afterlife, emphasizing its role as a messenger of finality and doom.
In Japanese folklore, crows are seen as divine messengers. The Yatagarasu, a three-legged crow, is considered a guide from the heavens, symbolizing guidance, intervention, and the will of the gods. This mythical crow is often associated with the sun, reinforcing its connection to illumination and clarity in moments of darkness or confusion.
In Celtic mythology, crows are closely tied to battle and fate. They are often associated with the warrior goddess Morrigan, who appears in the form of a crow on the battlefield, symbolizing war, death, and transformation. Crows in this tradition are seen as omens of change, often heralding the outcome of conflicts or shifts in power.
In Hindu mythology, crows hold a significant place as ancestors’ messengers. During the festival of Pitru Paksha, offerings of food are left for crows, as it is believed that the souls of ancestors visit in the form of these birds. Their presence during rituals is considered auspicious, symbolizing ancestral blessings, connection to lineage, and respect for the dead.
In Greek mythology, crows were once white birds, but were turned black by the gods as punishment for delivering bad news. This story highlights the crow’s role as a messenger of truth, even when the truth is unwelcome, and symbolizes the burden of knowledge and the consequences of bearing bad tidings.
In Native American traditions, crows are often seen as both tricksters and creators. Some tribes view them as shapeshifters, able to move between worlds and bring messages from the spirit realm, while others see them as world builders, responsible for shaping the earth and bringing light to humanity.
These global tales reinforce the crow’s role as a symbol of transformation, prophecy, and spiritual connection, illustrating how deeply embedded these birds are in human culture and storytelling across time and place.
Shadows of the crow
The crow’s mythical attributes often mirror its real-life behavior. It’s one of the world’s smartest bird species, with remarkable intelligence and adaptability reflected in stories of cunning, wisdom, and complex social structures like the Crow Courts. The crow’s black plumage and scavenging habits have contributed to its association with death, transformation, and the spirit world.
Yet, despite the superstitions and dark symbolism surrounding it, the crow remains an iconic and enigmatic bird. Its presence continues to resonate through folklore as a symbol of intelligence, prophecy, and the delicate balance between life and death.