Atondido Stories
Raven and the Geese
For a long time Raven lived alone, but finally became tired of it
and decided to take a wife. It was late in the fall and he noticed
that the birds were going south in large flocks. He flew away
and stopped directly in the path taken by geese and other wild
fowl on their way to the land of summer.
As he sat there he saw a pretty young goose coming near. He
hid his face by looking at his feet, so that she would not know
but that he was a black goose, and called out, "Who wishes me
for a husband? I am a very nice person."
The goose flew on without heeding him and he looked after
her and sighed. Soon after a black brant passed, and Raven cried
out as before, but the brant flew on. Again he waited and this
time a duck passed near, and when Raven cried out she turned
her head a little.
"Oh, I shall succeed this time," thought Raven, and his heart
beat fast with hope. But the duck passed on, and Raven stood
waiting with bowed head.
Very soon a family of white-front geese came along, consist-
ing of the parents with four sons and a sister. Raven cried out,
"Who wishes me for a husband? I am a fine hunter and am
young and handsome."
As he finished speaking they alighted just beyond him, and
he thought, "Surely, now I shall get a wife." He looked about and
found a pretty white stone with a hole in it lying near. He picked
it up and, stringing it on a long grass stem, hung it about his
neck. As soon as he had done this he pushed up his bill so that it
slid to the top of his head like a mask, and he became a dark-
colored young man. At the same time each of the geese pushed
up its bill in the same manner, and they became nice-looking
people.
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