Raven and the Whale

An Inuit story, retold with humble acknowledgement of the many who have told it before me.

The people of the Pacific Northwest say that, in the very beginning of time, it was Raven who created the world.

He shaped the mountains and the rivers, scattered stars across the sky, and gave voice to the wind. 

And when he was done he chose to stay in the world he had made - watching over the people, the animals, the trees and tides. 

Raven was proud of his work, and he moved through it boldly, sometimes in the form of a raven, other times as a man.

But even as a creator, there was still much for Raven to learn about his creation. So he wandered, speaking with the creatures and exploring the far reaches, the many distant corners of the Earth.

One night, sleeping beneath the waxing moon, Raven dreamed. And in that dream, he heard the voice of a woman, singing.

When he awoke, he felt the pull of that voice calling him north, to the land of ice and snow. So he carved a canoe and a paddle, and set off across the sea - the woman’s song riding on the wind, whispering and beckoning.

Suddenly, a great whale breached from the water - majestic and mysterious - towering over him, casting a vast shadow across his boat. 

It moved with power and grace, its body rising and falling with the waves, spouting water into the sky. Raven was mesmerised. He paddled closer, circling the creature with awe. Then, as if answering Raven’s unspoken question, the whale yawned.

Raven seized the moment. He slipped inside.

The whale’s mouth closed behind him, and darkness fell, the sound of the sea muffled, replaced by deep echoes, like drums from the belly of the earth.

The song he had heard was louder now.

Raven found his footing and walked deeper into the whale’s body. Ivory-white ribs rose like pillars around him, and ahead, a light shimmered.

And there, deep in the belly of the whale, danced a young maiden.

She moved with a radiant grace. Threads of light stretched from her hands and feet to the very walls of the whale’s body. When she twirled, the whale soared through the water. When she bowed, the whale dived. When she was still, the whale floated - silent and calm.

Raven was entranced. He fell in love with her beauty, and immediately wanted to marry her, to bring her into the world. But she told him, gently, “I am the spirit of the whale. I want to marry you, but I must stay here.”

Raven stood very still, torn by wonder and longing. He let his wings fall back, revealing his human face, and sat to watch her dance. Raven waited, unwilling to leave without her.

Time passed. And then, at last, the maiden grew tired. Her eyes closed. She stood very still.

Raven looked at her and forgot what she had said. A deep human desire rose in him, and without thinking, he pulled his beak back over his face, and seizing her in his wings, he burst through the whale’s mouth and flew up into the sky.

And as he flew… he felt the golden threads of light snap. 

The whale shuddered.

Raven continued rising high into the sky, the maiden clutched in his arms. But already, she was fading - growing smaller, fainter, slipping away like mist. 

Below, the whale writhed in agony, thrashing and spinning in the sea. 

Then - Raven understood - She truly was the whale’s spirit. And without her, the whale was dying. Without its spirit, it could not survive.

Raven looked down and saw the whale drift lifeless toward the shore. And the maiden in his arms… was gone. 

Grief overcame him.

He landed beside the great body of the whale and wept - the first tears the world had ever known. 

For days he wept, then weeks, until there were no more tears left.

And then, from his sorrow, Raven began to sing. A song to the spirit of all creatures. And this was the first song the world had ever known.

And after the song, he danced. He remembered the young woman’s movements, and he danced - a healing dance - the first dance the world had ever known.

When, at last, Raven rose back into the sky, he carried with him a deeper awareness of all he had created.

Ultimately, the story of the Raven and the Whale is a powerful reminder of the interconnectedness of all life.