Native American Legends
Why the Raven is black
An American Indian Legend - Nation Unknown
Long ago when the Earth was very young the Great Spirit was painting
the birds along the banks of the river.
He had just finished with Raven's feathers, and Raven was looking
at them in the river. But Raven was unpleased and he looked back
to the Great Spirit, but he had already gone. He then looked at
Eagle, whose feathers he admired very much. Then he noticed that
The Great Spirit had left his paints by the river.
Raven asked Eagle to paint him as beautifully as The Great Spirit
had painted him, but Eagle refused.
Raven begged Eagle until he finally agreed, Eagle painted Raven
and when he was finished he was very pleased.. Raven went to look
at his feathers in the river.. He was furious, his feathers where
a mess compared to before.. He and Eagle fought, spilling the Great
Spirits paints all over Raven, Raven leapt into the river and flapped
against the current but the black color would not fade. Seconds
later the Great Spirit returned. Raven begged the Great Spirit to
paint him again, to fix his ugly feathers, but the Great Spirit
refused, and said "Because of your sin of envy you shall learn
to value what you have, from this day forward you will remain with
Black beak, Black feet, Black breast, and Black eyes.
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