Rainbow crow VS Pontianak (folklore)

The story of the Rainbow Crow is a Lenape legend, symbolizing the value of selflessness and service. After a long period of cold weather, the animals of the community become worried. They decide to send a messenger to the Great Sky Spirit to ask for relief. The Rainbow Crow, the most beautifully feathered bird, offers to make the arduous journey. He travels safely, and is rewarded by the Great Spirit with the gift of fire. He carries the gift in his beak back to his people, but upon his return, he does not appear to be the same bird that he once was. The fire has scorched his plumage black, with only hints of his previous color, and his voice has been made rough and hoarse by the smoke. In this way, his sacrifice is commemorated. Another name for Rainbow Crow is Many Colored Crow. This is in reference to the iridescent feathers created from the fire that scorched his plumage black, with only hints of his previous color that reflect when sun light strikes them. This legend is the basis of the American animated short film Crow: The Legend.

See statistics

The Pontianak, Matianak or Kuntilanak (from Dutch-Indonesian: Puntianak, Jawi: ڤونتيانق), sometimes shortened to Kunti, is a mythological creature in Malay and Indonesian folklore. It is described as a vampiric, vengeful female ghost. The pontianak is the singular form of Kuntilanak, a woman who died in childbirth. Similar to the langsuir in Southeast Asia, the pontianak is a long-hair female bloodsucker that represents a local variation of vampire lore. She lures in unsuspecting men to incite fear and enact revenge. Signs that a pontianak is nearby include the sound of an infant crying and the smell of decaying corpses or the plumeria flower.

See statistics