Atondido Stories
Raven walked toward them, and was much pleased with the
looks of the girl and, going to her, gave her the stone which she
hung about her neck. By doing this she showed that she accept-
ed him for her husband. Then they all pulled down their bills,
becoming birds again, and flew away toward the south.
The geese flapped their wings heavily and worked along
slowly, while Raven on his outspread wings glided along faster
than his party, and the geese gazed after him in admiration, ex-
claiming, "How light and graceful he is!" and the little bride was
very proud of her fine husband.
But Raven was not accustomed to the long, all-day flights of
the geese, and he became tired.
"We would better stop early and look for a good place to
spend the night," he said. The others agreed to this, so they
stopped and were soon asleep.
Early the next morning the geese were astir, but Raven slept
so heavily that the father goose had to shake him and say, "Wake
up! Wake up! We must make haste for it will snow here soon; we
must not linger."
As soon as Raven was fully awake he pretended to be eager
to get away, and, as on the day before, he led all the others with
his wide-spread wings, and was greatly admired by the others,
especially by his young wife. He kept on, above or in front of his
companions, and his bride would often say, "See how gracefully
he skims along without having to flop heavy wings as we do,"
and she gave her brothers a side glance which made them feel
that she was contrasting their clumsiness with his ease. After
that tactless remark, the four brothers-in-law began to feel envi-
ous of Raven.
They stopped one evening on the seashore, where they feast-
ed upon the berries which were plentiful there, and then they
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