Monday, June 18, 2012

The way of the Crow - Maree


    "If men had wings and bore black feathers, few of them would be clever enough to be crows."
    -Rev. Henry Ward Beecher mid 1800's


    There is little wonder that crows are very often the subjects of legends, folktales, and storytelling traditions around the world, all of which is very deep-seated and arising from myth and folklore thousands of years old. Anyone that has ever spent time with a crow will know how absurd these myths are and that Crows are no more 'evil' or 'dark' as depicted in these legends than a canary in a cage.

    I make those remarks in light of the life I shared with Coco, a Black Crow (Corvus capensis), over the span of twenty years. She was keen of sight and hearing, and her other senses were no less acute. As was her sense of humour! She loved to mimic men laughing, producing the exact deep resonance of the male voice. She would also have a conversation with herself, changing voices as she went along, which she reproduced from the garden staff talking to one another. Another favourite of hers was hooting like a car, getting everyone in the household to go outside to see who has arrived. She would also call someone by their name at the top of her voice, also getting that person rushing outside to see who was calling, then uttering a long, low laugh, as if enjoying the havoc she's causing.

    She loved to play tag, pretending to peck your foot, getting you to chase her around the garden. And of course, one 'myth' that is absolutely true, is a Crow's love for shiny stuff. No tea tray was safe unattended outside, as all the spoons would disappear and any jewellery lying around the house was at great risk!

    A valuable lesson we could all learn from a crow is that they never "stuff" themselves with food. She would only eat until she was satisfied and then take the rest and hide it all over the garden, ready to be picked up at a later stage.

    It is this kind of sensitivity that makes crows and other corvids legendary birds.

    Coco passed away at the age of 27 after a stroke and I can honestly say no other animal enriched my life like she did.

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8 comments:

  1. How I love this story. I'm not sure if and when I saw another post about your Coco but I can only tell you I'm so sorry that she has passed away. Of course you loved her.. I can understand that. BJ

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    1. Thank you for your lovely kind words BJ. Yes, I do have another post here and thought I'd do a few more.

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  2. This is a great story Maree. Coco must have really been quite the character. How wonderful to have all those memories AND all the great sketches of her.

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    1. Thank you so much Paula. Ah, the memories are forever and she certainly was great inspiration for sketching!

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  3. I do love corvids, Maree...thank you for making us a part of Coco's life.

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    1. Thanks ever so much Kate. It was like losing a life partner and sharing is part of the healing.

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  4. Coco sounds wonderful. I'm sure you'll miss her always ... but she will keep you smiling too. I, too, have lived with a crow, but not for nearly as long. I miss those days.

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    1. I DO miss her Elva, but we are lucky that we have the smiles and the memories!

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