Early Reviewers

For centuries, corvids, those dark-winged, intelligent birds of the crow family, have loomed large in the folklore and mythology of Britain.

With their glossy black feathers, sharp beaks, and eerie, often mournful calls, these birds have been both feared and revered, their presence woven into the fabric of British storytelling. Ravens, crows, magpies, jays, and choughs have danced across the pages of legend, their roles shifting between bringers of doom, tricksters, protectors of the land, and messengers from other worlds.

In ancient Celtic tales, ravens were the eyes and ears of the gods, their croaks foretelling battles and fates. In Cornish mythology, the chough, with its crimson legs and curved bill, was said to carry the soul of King Arthur himself. The jackdaw, with its mischievous nature, is often linked to tricksters and thieves, while the magpie, notorious for its obsession with shiny objects, has earned a reputation as a bird of superstition. Together, these birds form a complex and varied tapestry, each with its own stories to tell, and each with its own place in the minds of those who have lived alongside them.

But while these legends have been passed down through generations, it is the spirit of imagination and wonder that keeps them alive. This book, a collection of brand-new fictional tales, seeks to give voice to the members of the British corvid family in ways both familiar and fresh. It is a celebration of these fascinating creatures, told through the lens of the storyteller, where the lines between reality and fantasy blur. Here, the corvids are not just symbols of death or bringers of change, but fully realised characters, complex, capable of both great wisdom and wild mischief, carrying with them the deep histories of their kind.

The stories here weave together the ancient myths with new narratives that reimagine the corvids’ roles in both the magical and the mundane worlds. The raven, with its mysterious presence, becomes not just a creature of omen, but a guardian of forgotten secrets and hidden realms. The magpie, no longer a mere thief of trinkets, is cast as a cunning agent of fate, her flight weaving the threads of destiny in ways no one understands. The jackdaw, with its sharp wit and irrepressible energy, finds itself entangled in adventures that cross the line between the human world and the supernatural.

In these pages, we see the corvids as more than mythic symbols; they are sentient beings, intricately bound to the land, the people, and the mysteries of the country and its tribes. They speak of lost loves and forgotten promises, of battles fought and won, and of secrets long buried beneath the surface of the earth. Through their eyes, we explore the deep forests, the wild cliffs, the windswept moors, and the bustling cities of Britain, witnessing both the mundane and the magical.

But this book is not merely about telling new stories, it also seeks to deepen our understanding of the corvids’ roles in British myth and legend. These birds have always been figures of transformation, crossing between the physical and spiritual realms. Whether they are guiding the souls of the departed, protecting ancient knowledge, or warning of approaching danger, they are inextricably linked to the forces of change. Crows, ravens, magpies, and their kin are messengers and observers, the catalysts of fate. In British folklore, they have been feared and loved, for their role as creatures that straddle worlds, those of life and death, of fortune and misfortune.

Through these tales, I invite you to rediscover the magic and mystery that corvids embody in British culture. These birds, which have been among us for centuries, are more than mere creatures of flight; they are the keepers of ancient wisdom, the witnesses to forgotten events, and the bearers of transformation. They are reminders that, no matter how familiar their presence may seem in the everyday world, they carry with them an untold depth of story.

As a point of reference, the last section of this book, Corvids In British Legend, provides some more detail about the various species and the traditional beliefs associated with them. It is, I think, a useful adjunct to the stories as it helps to set the tales in their historical and mythical context. So, whether you are a long-time lover of corvids or a curious newcomer to their world, I ask you to listen closely, for in the flutter of their wings and the echo of their cries, there is a tale waiting to be told. Welcome, then, to the world of the corvids, where myth and imagination take flight.