A child of the ravens.

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I mentioned to my friend that, as a child, ravens followed me to school quite often.  Through, I would guess, the third grade, I would often have one or more accompany me to school.  More so if I was alone.  Even if not alone, there would often be one following, from power pole to light pole to tree, an half or quarter block back, or sometimes it would fly ahead.  Parents don't have time for such nonsense, and siblings don't care, even if they take note.  I had no fear, just wonder.  No one answered my questions.

Throughout my life I have had an association with the bird.  I am talking about the larger of the birds.  I have heard, though never checked, that these birds were imported from Europe.  The Starling was, I think.  Not sure about the Raven proper.  I may, actually, search for information on this point, too, while I am at it.

Beyond being followed as a child, every time I have been close to death these birds have made themselves known.  In Iowa City, at the hospital, in spite of there not seeming to be anything upon which to perch, they were there, outside my window, for the first few days as I came out of an induced coma.  I was telling the people I white-water rafted with about the raven showing up near times where death had been close.  In the parking lot, after having fallen in and nearly not been rescued, just such a bird came in and sat on a power pole right above our heads.  I pointed it, but only one or two saw it.  As with siblings, they... averted eyes.  People like stories, they don't necessarily like true stories.  *wink*

I haven't studied the myth and lore.  It just wasn't scientific, or Christian, you know.  Still, curiosity has finally gotten the best of me.  Now, this is just a general site, and jumps around.  As well, it looks as much of a site to sell trinkets and baubles, but it has some information.

Prophecy.  War.  Death.  Though good and bad things.  All belong to the tagged story I suggest, or through the eyes I see if they are not mine.  Of course, the trickster figure, though I already knew the raven was another form of the coyote, wolf, fox, and others... depending from whence you hail.  If... that isn't the full truth of it.
Of course, there is often more to myth than just... smoke.