The Story of Raven

[Guest guest]

In the beginning there was nothing but soft darkness, and Raven beat

and beat with her wings until the darkness packed itself down into

solid earth. Then there was only the icy black ocean and a narrow

strip of shoreline.

But people came soon to live along the coast. And Raven felt sorry

for them -- these poor, sickly things -- who never had any sunshine.

They lived by chewing on nuts and leaves, and crushed the roots of

the alder trees for something to drink.

" I must help them, " thought Raven.

And she flew down to earth, calling, " Ga, ga, ga! " and gathered the

people together. Like ghosts, they were, shadowy and pale in the

misty darkness.

" Raven has come! " they told each other. " It is Raven-Who-Sets-

Things-Right. " The poor things were encouraged, and they gathered

round to see what he would do.

Raven plucked a branch from an alder, and scattered the leaves on

the surface of a pool. At once the leaves were sucked under, and the

water started to bubble. After the pool had boiled for a moment, the

surface cleared and fish began to jump there. So that was how Raven

gave the people fish.

But now that they had fish to eat, they were thirstier than ever.

They called on Raven, and down she came, and the people said, " Here

is Raven-Who-Sets-Things-Right. "

Raven knew that there was only one spring of fresh water in all the

world. A man named Ganook had built his house around it, and refused

to give any away.

" Maybe, " thought Raven, " I can drink enough to carry some back to

the people. "

So she went to the house and asked to come in, and Ganook was very

glad to have her company. Raven sat down and made polite

conversation, and pretty soon she asked for a drink of water.

" Very well, " said Ganook grudgingly, and showed her the spring -- a

crystal pool welling up in a basin of rock.

" Don't drink it all! " Ganook warned her. " You know that's the only

fresh water in all the world. "

Raven knew it well; that was what she had come for. But she

said, " Just a sip! " and drank until she staggered.

" Hold on there, Raven! " cried Ganook. " Are you trying to drink the

well dry? "

That was just what Raven was trying to do, but she passed it off

lightly. She made himself comfortable close to the fire and

said, " Ganook, let me tell you a story. "

Then Raven started out on a long dull story about four dull brothers

who went on a long dull journey. As she went along she made up dull

things to add to it, and Ganook's eyelids drooped, and Raven spoke

softly, and more and more slowly, and Ganook's chin dropped on his

chest.

" So then, " said Raven gently, with her eyes on Ganook, " on and on

through the long gray valley through the soft gray fog went the four

tall gray brothers. And now, snore! " And Ganook began to snore.

Quick as a thought, Raven darted to the spring and stuck her beak

into the water. But no sooner had she lifted her head to swallow

than Ganook started up with a terrible snort, and said, " Go on, go

on, I'm listening! I'm not asleep. " Then he shook his head and

blinked his eyes and said, " Where are you, Raven? What are you

doing? "

" Just walking around for exercise, " Raven assured him, and back she

went, and in a low, unchanging voice she went on with the dull story

of the four brothers. No sooner had she started than Ganook began to

nod, and his chin dropped down, and he jerked it back and opened his

eyes and scowled at Raven, and nodded his head and said, " Go on!

What next? " and his head dropped down upon his chest.

" So on and on, " said Raven slowly, " over the hills, went the four

tall gray brothers. The air was thick and gray around them. Fog was

stealing softly over the mountains. Fog before them, fog behind

them, soft, cloudy fog. And now, snore! " And Ganook began to snore.

Quietly Raven slipped to the spring, and she drank up the water

until the pool was dry. But as she lifted her head for a last long

gulp, Ganook leaped up and saw what she was doing.

" So, Raven! " shouted Ganook. " You think you can lull me to sleep and

steal my water! "

He picked up his club and started to chase Raven round and round the

fire. Raven would run a few steps and flap her big wings and rise a

few inches off the floor. Then with a last tremendous flap she went

sailing towards the open smoke hole.

But she had swallowed so much water that she stuck fast in the

opening, and there she struggled, while Ganook shouted, " You squint-

eyed Raven, I've got you now, Raven! You miserable thief! "

And Ganook threw green alder logs on the fire and made a great smoke

which came billowing up and almost choked Raven to death.

Raven hung there, strangling and struggling, until at last she

pulled free with a mighty wrench and went wobbling heavily across

the sky. But she was so heavy she flew in a crooked line, and as she

flew she spurted little streams of water from her bill.

These became rivers. Since Raven flew in a crooked line, all the

rivers are crooked as snakes. Here and there she scattered single

drops, and these became narrow creeks and salmon pools.

And so Raven brought fresh water to the people but she bore the mark

of that smoke hole ever after. She had gone to Ganook as a great,

white, snowy creature, but from that day on, Raven was black, as

black as the endless sky of the endless night.

Raven