Myth and Legends

The Crow and the Dove

Sometime after Bathala created the world, He saw the rise of evil in every man’s heart that He sent a great flood to punish people on earth. The onslaught of the great flood was devastating- houses were swept away, whole plantations were washed away, and no land creature was known to have survived the catastrophe. Waters covered the whole surface of the earth that reached beyond the tallest mountains so that even those who tried to seek refuge in the high mountains drowned.

However, before He sent the flood, Bathala saw to it that those who remained just would be saved. He found favour in one called Noah who was a good man along with his family. Days before the flood came, Bathala called on Noah to build a huge ark where he, his family, and a pair consisting of a male and female of each kind of birds and beasts were to take refuge when the flood would come. The crow and the dove were among the birds Noah took with him to the ark.

During that time, it was said that the crow was white in colour, similar to that of the dove. He, too, has a sweet voice. When they all have embarked safely inside the ark, the sky grew dim followed by heavy rains and thunderstorms. The great flood lasted for forty days and forty nights. Noah, his family and animal companions remained inside the ark that floated safely upon the dangerous waters. On the morning of the forty-first day, Noah summoned the crow to fly out of the ark.

He wanted to find out whether the flood had subsided and to see if there were any signs of dry land on which they could safely land the ark. Following Noah’s request, the crew flew out of the ark in search of a dry land. Looking down, the crow was saddened by the things she saw below her. Stretching over miles and miles of marshy land below her, she saw many dead bodies of human beings and animals lying all over the place.

Curious as she was, the crow swooped down to further her investigation. She perched near the carcass of horse. Soon, pangs of hunger caught up with her. She could not resist taking a bite or two of the carcass. Next, she settled on the carcass of another beast, and did the same thing. It has been sometime since Noah sent the crow. He had grown impatient at the crow’s delay so he sent for the dove. He instructed the dove, saying, “Go fly out of the ark and accomplish two things for me.

First, go and find out what happened to the crow. Second, find out whether it’s already safe for us to land.” Having received the instructions, the dove flew away at once. So journing the land, the dove, too saw with his own eyes the widespread destruction the flood has caused. He saw countless dead bodies strewn all over the land. But she also noted that it was already safe to land. Without delay, he flew back to the ark with a green leaf tucked between his beaks.

On his returned flight, the dove happened to spot something moving on the land below. As he descended to take closer look, he saw the crow busy feasting on a dead body. Realizing the urgency of his mission, the dove did not waste any more time and instead headed right back to the ark. Upon reaching the ark, he immediately presented to Noah the green leaf. The leaf was an indication that it was safe to land the ark. The he went on to report what he had seen.

Noah was greatly pleased with the sincerity and dedication shown to him by the dove. He commended the dove with words of praise, declaring that from that time on, the dove shall forever be the symbol of peace, purity and loyalty. While happy with the dove, Noah remained apprehensive of the crow who just arrived from her mission. He cursed the crow in front of everyone inside the ark, saying, “From this day on, you shall turn black so everyone will know that you are bad.

You shall turn ugly and your voice shall become hoarse so that everywhere you go you shall be despised by a man and beasts alike. And since you like to eat dead carcass you shall be condemned to live on foul smelling carcass all your life.” Instantaneously, Noah’s word became true. The crow turned black. His feature became ugly and his voice became hoarse and unpleasant to hear. Whenever he speaks, all that he can utter is “Uwak, Uwak, Uwak…” Ashamed of what he had become, the crow flew out of the window as fast as he could.