An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/krauen
krauen, vb., ‘to tickle,’ from the equiv. MidHG. krouwen, OHG. chrouwôn, krouwen; Goth. *kraujôn, or rather *kraggwôn, and other correspondences are wanting. With this vb. is connected OHG. chrouwil, MidHG. kröuwel, m., ‘three-pronged fork, talon, claw,’ to which Swiss and ModHG. Kräuel, ‘fork with hooked prongs’; comp. Du. kraauwel, m., ‘pitchfork, fork, claw, finger-nail,’ allied to kraauwen, ‘to scratch.’ Connected with Krume.