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Now that my Animal Knowledge Oracle is out on the earth I’m delving extra deeply into the tales and legends related to the animals I’ve discovered about. Although many legends of animals are strongly related to goddesses and gods, there are additionally many who focus solely on animals themselves. In each circumstances these tales assist us perceive our place on the earth and educate about dwelling in steadiness and concord with all beings – a cornerstone of feminism and goddess spirituality.
As winter nears its finish, I’d prefer to share my re-telling of a narrative with you about Crow. It comes from the storytelling custom of the Lenni Lenape – a Native American tribe whose conventional territory spanned what’s now japanese Pennsylvania, New Jersey, decrease New York, and japanese Delaware. It is a totally different form of crow from the one we all know at present. It goes like this….
Rainbow Crow
Lengthy, lengthy, and even longer in the past Earth was a heat, inexperienced and welcoming place. However sooner or later Kijiamuh Ka’ong, the Creator Who Creates by Pondering What Will Be, considered Chilly. Snow Spirit started to roam Earth, spitting out ice, sleet and snow. Quickly the animals had been shivering and freezing. Some turned buried of their caves, burrows and dens.
Sensible Owl known as the animals collectively and mentioned, “One among us should journey to the Nice Thriller Past and ask Kijiamuh Ka’ong to please un-think Snow Spirit or we’ll all absolutely die.”
All of them realized that smart Owl couldn’t go, as Owl can solely see at evening and could be blinded by the radiance of Kijiamuh Ka’ong. And Turtle, who’s so regular and reliable, is manner too sluggish. The animals cried “We’d freeze to demise lengthy earlier than Turtle even arrives.”
Coyote claimed that he might devise an amazing plan to persuade Kijiamuh Ka’ong to un-think Snow Spirit and its freezing chilly. The animals responded, “Coyote, you’re very sensible however so stuffed with tips. Kijiamuh Ka’ong can’t be deceived by one comparable to you.”
“Who can succeed. Who oh who?” hooted Owl.
Now Rainbow Crow unfold her feathers and stepped ahead. Rainbow Crow was essentially the most lovely hen of all – with feathers that shimmered with all the colours of the rainbow and a track that rang out the sweetest of all birdsong. She mentioned, “I’ll go. You all can depend on me.”
And so she set out without delay. Rainbow Crow flew up and up, on and on, and up and up for 3 lengthy days. She handed past the clouds and Sky. She handed past Moon, Solar and Stars. Exhausted and with no place to relaxation, she continued on till she lastly reached the Nice Thriller Past – the Holy Abode of Kijiamuh Ka’ong.
She known as out to Kijiamuh Ka’ong for assist – as soon as – twice. However Creator was too deep into Pondering What Will Be Into Being to note Rainbow Crow’s cry for assist.
So Rainbow Crow paused and gathered all the wonder she had inside her to sing her most lovely track ever. Now this caught the eye of Creator who turned an eye fixed to search out who was making this lovely track.
Creator quickly positioned Rainbow Crow and remembered having thought her into being. “Such a stupendous track you may have sung for me! What reward can I give you to precise my gratitude to your track?”
“Oh Nice Kijiamuh Ka’ong! The one reward I would like is so that you can un-think Snow Spirit. Earth has develop into too chilly and coated with snow since Snow Spirit’s arrival. All us animals will quickly freeze to demise.”
“However my pricey buddy that’s unattainable.” answered Creator. “As soon as I’ve thought one thing into being I can’t un-think it. Snow and Ice have spirits of their very own which I can’t destroy.”
Lovely Rainbow Crow sadly bowed her head and mentioned, “I perceive. However now we animals will certainly perish from Earth as nothing can develop to nourish us and the chilly snow and ice will freeze us. I’ll return residence and inform the others to organize for his or her destiny.”
“Don’t despair. If I can suppose Chilly into being then I’ll now suppose Tindeh – Fireplace – into being – one thing to heat all my creatures through the occasions of snow and ice.”
Kijiamuh Ka’ong took a protracted stick and caught it into the blazing warmth of Solar, eradicating it with flaming, scorching fireplace on one finish. Giving the fiery keep on with Rainbow Crow, Creator mentioned, “Go shortly. Return residence and take Fireplace again to the animals to allow them to be heat.”
Rainbow Crow took off instantly on the three day journey residence. She flew as quick as she might, fearing that the fireplace would possibly exit earlier than she arrived. Leaving the realm of the Nice Thriller Past, she handed a little bit too near Solar inflicting her tail to catch on fireplace. However heedless of hazard to herself she flew on. By the point she reached Moon the smoke had turned all her lovely rainbow-colored feathers black.
Nonetheless descending Rainbow Crow dove into Sky realm. As she handed by way of the clouds, smoke obtained into her throat and choked her. She felt one thing altering as she wheezed and rasped on her last descent. When Rainbow Crow lastly arrived again on Earth, gone had been her lovely rainbow coloured feathers. Now she was all a boring black. When she opened her beak to name the others with the excellent news, gone was her lovely singing voice – solely a rasping, cawing sound got here out.
The animals got here and noticed as Fireplace started to soften the snow. They rejoiced, giving nice thanks for Tindeh – Fireplace – and its heat. All of the animals started to rejoice. Everybody apart from Rainbow Crow who was very unhappy. The place she as soon as had lovely feathers they had been now all a boring black. And her lovely singing voice was gone – changed by an unsightly rasping voice.
Abruptly a breeze stirred round her. She regarded as much as see Kijiamuh Ka’ong, the Creator Who Creates By Pondering What Will Be, her lovingly. Creator mentioned, “Don’t be unhappy my buddy. In your sacrifice in serving to save the animals I’ve given you an amazing reward. When the individuals include their looking gear you’ll not be hunted and killed. For the smoke has made your flesh style of smoke – an disagreeable style to individuals. And due to your black feathers and rasping voice the individuals is not going to seize you to maintain you caged for his or her enjoyment. You’ll at all times be free. Lastly Creator reached out gently and pointed at Crow. Crow watched in amazement as all her boring, black feathers started to mirror an iridescent rainbow of glimmering colours deep inside every one. “Now all these with eyes to see reality will perceive your service and sacrifice. You may be liked and honored for you may have saved all of them.”
![Crow-spirit-animal-painting-by-judith-shaw](https://feminismandreligion.files.wordpress.com/2019/01/crowspiritguide72.jpg?w=533)
I really like this story which reveals us how we too – identical to Crow who’s a dedicated member of its flock, documented exhibiting acts of compassion and caring – can overlook about our personal petty wants and rise to the meet the wants of our neighborhood when confronted with troublesome circumstances.
Crow, who isn’t heard to sing lovely birdsong and whose feathers lack the colourful fantastic thing about many different birds, is a hen beloved by many.
You possibly can learn extra in regards to the crows we all know at present on my put up from 2019
Postscript: I simply started a brand new enterprise with my work – weekly posting on YouTube specializing in oracle card readings and re-tellings of delusion and legend. Right here’s a hyperlink to at least one I simply posted through which I re-tell this story of Rainbow Crow. Be at liberty to share it with any educators who would possibly like to make use of it of their classroom research of animals, myths and legends.
![](https://feminismandreligion.files.wordpress.com/2021/04/judiths17bsm.jpg?w=528)
Judith Shaw, a graduate of the San Francisco Artwork Institute, has been thinking about delusion, tradition and mystical research all her life. Not lengthy after graduating from SFAI, whereas dwelling in Greece, Judith started exploring the Goddess in her artwork. She continues to be impressed by the Goddess in all of her manifestations, which in fact contains the natural world of our lovely Earth. Initially from New Orleans, Judith makes her residence in New Mexico, The Land of Enchantment.
![](https://feminismandreligion.files.wordpress.com/2023/01/animalwisdomgraphic.jpg?w=1024)
After nearly 5 years of labor Judith’s new oracle deck, Animal Knowledge Oracle, is now accessible. You possibly can order it right here. Expertise the knowledge our animal kin have to supply.
The Celtic Goddess Oracle Deck remains to be accessible. Order your deck right here.
Classes: animals, Feminism, Basic, Goddess feminism, Fantasy, Native American, Nature
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