Thanks so much, Bill. Just ordered "The Monsters and the Critics and Other Essays" and while I had my spending breeches on, I also boughtThe Origins of Beowulf: and the Pre-Viking Kingdom of East Anglia by Sam Newton (and) Kathy Herbert's
Looking for the Lost Gods of England.
The Richard North tome will have to wait for another day. But is duly noted. Thank you.
As is your comment on "blithe-hearted". I wouldn't characterize a
Corvus as blithe, though others might. "blithe" is a really ancient word, Old Norse that goes back to Old High German roots.
If this source is to be trusted, the nuance is not raven-like.
blithe (adj.) 
Old English bliže "joyous, kind, cheerful, pleasant," from Proto-Germanic *blithiz "gentle, kind" (cognates: Old Saxon bliši "bright, happy," Middle Dutch blide, Dutch blijde, Old Norse blišr "mild, gentle," Old High German blidi "gay, friendly," Gothic bleižs "kind, friendly, merciful").
That said, I am enjoying this conversation very much. (And will make a few spelling and grammar corrections in my next which I noticed when I read the printed thread.)