Here's an unusual job. According to superstition, if the ravens leave the Tower of London, the kingdomof England will fall. So many centuries ago, it was decreed that at least six of the birds would always be kept there. So now there is a civil service job of raven keeper. Only in England. I guess. I'll give bonus points to anyone who can correctly identify the origin of the names of each of the birds.
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Talk about holding on to superstitions. Their taxes pay for that! I guess the good thing about it is it adds to the character of England. It’s one of those quirky endearing things that links people to the way it used to be. I think it’s funny when the Ravenmaster talks about how he can’t drink alcohol. He says, "You can't really have a drink either, as alcohol dulls the senses, and you've got to be alert to what they're doing at all times. One lapse, a bit of over-familiarity, and if a bird goes for you it could have your eye out." Then a few lines later he’s quoted as saying “The ravens are part of the family.” I just thought that was funny. I’m glad I don’t have to be on constant alert from my family gouging my eyes out. I do try to have the room cleared before applying my mascera. I think that if the birds ever fall ill and all die overnight, from something like West Nile Virus, that they would probably just keep it under wraps. They wouldn’t want to cause a mass hysteria. Panicking is bad manners over there.
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