ハト（dove）はすぐれた帰巣性があるのでノアが洪水後に水の引き具合を調べるためにハトを使った話は有名ですが、その前にカラスを飛ばした話は案外知られていないようです。こういう私も実は最近まで知りませんでした。
オリーブの葉をくちばしにくわえたハトが、平和の象徴としてあまりにも有名なために、カラスのほうは忘れられがちですが、聖書によるとノアはハトより先にカラスを放っているのです。聖書では、次に放したハトは水が引いていないので戻ってきた、と書いてありますが、カラスは水が引くまで飛び続けたと書いてあります。カラスはそんなに長い航続距離を持っているのでしょうか。不思議ですね。
カラスはレビ記（11:15）や申命記（14:14）では食べてはならない汚れた鳥とされていますが、預言者エリヤが隠れているときにパンと肉を運んで彼を養ったのはカラスでした（列王記上17:4, 6）。
After forty days Noah opened a window and sent out a raven. It did not come back, but kept flying around until the water was completely gone. Meanwhile, Noah sent out a dove to see if the water had gone down, but since the water still covered all the land, the dove did not find a place to light. It flew back to the boat, and Noah reached out and took it in it. He waited another seven days and sent out the dove again. It returned to him in the evening with a fresh olive leaf in its beak. So Noah knew that the water had gone down. Then he waited another seven days and sent out the dove once more; this time it did not come back.
---Today's English Version, Genesis 8:6-12
Then the Lord said to Elijah,"Leave this place and go east and hide yourself near Cherith Brook, east of the Jordan. The brook will supply you with water to drink, and I have commanded ravens to bring you food there."
Elijah obeyed the Lord's command, and went and stayed by Cherith Brook. He drank water from the brook, and ravens brought him bread and meat every morning and every evening.
---Today's English Version, 1 Kings 17:2-6
