Gwylum (male, 18 years old)
Thor (male, 15 years old)
Hugin (female, 11 years old)
Munin (female, 11 years old)
Branwen (female, 3 years old)
Bran (male, 3 years old)
Gundulf (male, 1 year old)
Baldrick (male, 1 year old)
Fleur (female, 4 years old) (source:Wikipedia)
are the names of the legendary ravens living in the Tower of London. Though they appeared first ’to the public’ in a newspaper in the late 1800s, they are said to have been present there for centuries.
Regarding that the Bloody Tower used to be the scenery for torturing and executions, its ravens undoubtedly have hardly anything to do with the myth that after death, it is a raven that helps a spirit over to the underworld; they functioned only as dramatisation to the events. However, their history is an unclear field even after several related research carried out so far, only hints can be detected.
“If the Tower of London ravens are lost or fly away, the Crown will fall and Britain with it.” (source: ForteanTimes)
The legend that haunts the monarchy dating back to the Victorian era seems a bit unsound: concerning that there is a reocrd about the ravens’ leaving the Tower, the Crown and Britain did not suffer destruction back then.
Anyways, so as to provide protection for themselves, the Monarchs keep the birds under control: clipped wings so that they cannot fly away, a fair amount from the Budget to give them comfort, and even a Raven Master to take care of them.
Vocabulary
- concerning – illetőleg, vonatkozólag
- execution – kivitelezés, kivégzés (ige: to execute)
- to fail – elhibázni
- to haunt – kísérteni
- hint – célzás, nyom, utalás
- regarding – illetőleg, vonatkozólag
- scenery – színhely
- to suffer – szenvedni (~ from – szenvedni vmitől)
- undoubtedly – kétséget kizáróan
- unsound – téves, hibás, elmebajos
