Atondido Stories
How Raven Brought Fire to the Indians
Many ages ago when the world was still young, Raven and
White Sea-gull lived near together in Canada, far in the north
country on the shores of the Great Water in the west. They were
very good friends and they always worked in harmony and they
had much food and many servants in common. White Sea-gull
knew no guile; he was always very open and frank and honest in
his dealings with others. But Raven was a sly fellow, and at
times he was not lacking in treachery and deceit. But Sea-gull
did not suspect him, and the two lived always on very friendly
terms. In these far-back times in the north country all the world
was dark and there was no light but that of the stars. Sea-gull
owned all the daylight, but he was very stingy and he kept it al-
ways locked up in a box. He would give none of it to anyone
else, and he never let it out of the box except when he needed a
little of it to help himself when he went far away on his journeys.
After a time Raven grew envious of Sea-gull's possession.
And he said, "It is not fair that Sea-gull should keep the daylight
all to himself locked up in a box. It was meant for all the world
and not for him alone, and it would be of great value to all of us
if he would sometimes let a little of it out." So he went to Sea-
gull and said, "Give me some of your daylight. You do not need
it all and I can use some of it with advantage." But Sea-gull said,
"No. I want it all for myself. What could you do with daylight,
you with your coat as black as night?" and he would not give
him any of it. So Raven made up his mind that he would have to
get some daylight from Sea-gull by stealth.
Soon afterwards Raven gathered some prickly thorns and
burdocks and scattered them on the ground between Sea-gull's
house and the beach where the canoes were lying. Then he went
to Sea-gull's window and cried loudly, "Our canoes are going
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