[Northern] Northern symbols

[SusanTillery]

Has anybody considered consulting a bestiary?
http://www.clues.abdn.ac.uk:8080/besttest/alt/comment/analysis.html

Personally and certainly in my own humble opinion, I would bring to your
consideration the crane, a bird that is found in oklahoma and has a good repute.

Aela of the hills
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Of cranes
translation from the Aberdeen bestiary project
http://www.clues.abdn.ac.uk:8080/besttest/alt/translat/trans45v.html

Cranes take their name, grues, from the
sound of their own particular call. or such is
the low, muttering sound they make.

It is interesting to recall how cranes
organise their journeys. They go to some
extent in military formation, and in case the
wind should be against them on their way to
their chosen land, they eat sand and ballast
themselves to a reasonable weight by
picking up small stones. Then they fly as
high as they can, so that a from higher
vantage point they can look out for the
lands they seek.

As they fly swiftly on their way, they follow
one of their number in a V-shaped
formation. Confident in its navigation, it
leads the flocks. It scolds the laggards and
keeps the formation together with its calls.
When it grows hoarse, another takes over.

Cranes are united in their concern for those
who tire, to such an extent that if any drop
out, they all surround the exhausted birds
and support them until their strength is
restored by this period of rest.

At night cranes keep careful watch. You
can see the sentinels at their posts; while the
other members of the flock sleep,
(There is more at the site posted above)