ELAINE HULTGREN

I hiked alone to Delicate Arch and stopped a distance away to sketch it. I shared my snack of nuts and raisins with the resident raven as two hikers, a man and a woman passed us by. We watched as they stopped to unload their backpacks. The woman held up her golden glittering crescent moon necklace which broke as she removed her pack. She laid it on a rock nearby as she and her companion headed for the arch, cameras in hand. I watched spellbound as the raven flew to the necklace, scooped it up and flew into a nearby canyon. The couple returned and I joined them and told them of the bandit raven stealing the moon. Together we scanned the canyon walls and soon, the Raven flew out from a crevice in the rocks. We delighted in imagining a nest filled with untold treasure. This memorable event was the inspiration for this illustration.