This week’s blog post debuts a new column, Legends and Lore, which will feature interesting historical and mythological tidbits associated with Ravenwood Castle. This week’s Legends and Lore is written by our Assistant Innkeeper Abby Kutscher.

Why is a raven like a writing desk?

This famous riddle was posed – but not answered – by the Mad Hatter in Alice in Wonderland.

We would like to submit one possible solution to the riddle. Why is a raven like a writing desk? We have both of them here at Ravenwood!

Unlike our writing desks though, our raven has a name – as any proper mascot should. Our raven’s name is Ralph, and he can often be seen hanging around the castle. Ralph’s favorite hangouts are high atop the tower battlements and – where else? – on his perch in the Raven’s Roost Pub.

Ravens have always been a source of great fascination. They appear frequently in legends of old, classic Western literature, and modern writings. Dickens and Shakespeare both wrote of the raven, as of course did our favorite poet: Edgar Allan Poe.

Unbeknownst to most, Ravens can be trained to talk, and often appear as fortune tellers and messengers. Legend has it that the raven was originally all white, but was punished by the Goddess Athena for delivering ill tidings. In her frustration, she turned the raven’s feathers black, branding him forever as the bearer of bad news.

Ravens are also associated with secrecy, and with the ultimate mystery – death. Often seen on battlefields, these scavengers were thought to provide passage from this life to the next. They alone were believed to hold the secrets of what awaits beyond the grave.

So the question remains: are Ravens fascinating and intelligent creatures? Or dark and evil omens?

There’s only one way to find out – take a trip to Ravenwood Castle, hang out in the Raven’s Roost Pub, and have a chat with Ralph. But be careful, he’s been known to sneak a sip of your drink when you’re not looking!

Regardless of what you discuss with our raven, we guarantee you’ll be bored nevermore, nevermore.

Jim Reed

Jim Reed is a lifelong gamer who started with the original red box Dungeons & Dragons. After spending 20 years in the corporate world, he decided it was high time that work be fun and struck out on his own. Jim now owns and operates Ravenwood Castle, and spends his days ensuring his guests have as much fun as he does.