[MR] BBC: Head Beefeater Retires

[Garth Groff]

M'Lady Kat,

The ravens are really cool. In case you don't know the story, there is a 
prophesy that if the ravens ever desert the Tower, the monarchy will 
fail. There are always a certain number of official ravens on the 
grounds, wings clipped, and safely caged at night. Some replacements are 
always going through birdie bootcamp. Of course there are also wild 
ravens around the tower, but you never can tell--they might be 
republicans, or worse, Jacobites.

IIRC, when I was there one of the Warders mentioned that a naughty raven 
who had learned some very shocking language had to be retired. After 
all, those birds are her Majesty's official representatives.

Yours Aye,


Lord Mungo Napier, Who Thinks Ravens are Really Interesting, Even If 
They Do Bite.


On 2/17/2012 2:20 PM, Marybeth Lavrakas wrote:
> I saw a piece a few years ago on the officer who is keepr of the 
> ravens. As I recall, he doesn't get extra pay for the extra time it 
> takes...but he gets to take care of the ravens! One of the ravens was 
> talking in the background, and it sounded JUST like man, but as if he 
> were in the next room over.
>
> Kat. Rous
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------