This is a lesson in self-sacrifice.**Long ago, before the two-legged people walked on the earth, the animal people dwelt together on Turtle Island, and were beset by the Spirit Snow. The Spirit Snow invaded the land, and as it crept across the vast Turtle Island, it became apparent to the animal people that a council must be held, for if not, all would perish on the face of the land. So the animal people held such a council, and Wise Owl called all the animal people together. "We must send a messenger to Kijiamuh Ka'ong, the Creator who Creates by Thinking," said Wise Owl. "He can think the world warm again, and the Spirit Snow will leave us in peace." The animals thought this was a good plan, and so the process to see who would be sent to the Creator began. Wise Owl himself could not go, for he could not see well in the daylight, and it was a long, arduous journey. Coyote was too easily distracted; within a day, he would already have forgotten why he was sent out. Turtle was dependable, but too slow; the world would be engulfed by the time he returned. Finally, Rainbow Crow, the most beautiful bird of all the flying people, who sang the most beautiful of all songs, was sent to Creator. The journey was a harsh and unforgiving one; beyond the tree lines of the forests, and the mountains of the earth, beyond the skies of the world and the sun and the moon, beyond all the stars themselves into the heavens where the Creator dwelt. There, after three days and three nights, Rainbow Crow found the Creator entranced in thought, so much so that he could not get his attention. So Rainbow Crow began to sing. The Song was so beautiful, so artful, and so wonderful that Kijiamuh Ka'ong was drawn away from thinking of what would be. He looked upon the most beautiful of birds, and desired to give him a gift in exchange for the beautiful gift of his song. Rainbow Crow, hopeful, asked for the Spirit Snow to be thought away, so that it would give the animal people peace. "I cannot think the Spirit Snow out of existence," the Creator said, "for it has spirit of its own." Rainbow Crow was crushed. "Then we will all freeze to death," he replied. "You will not freeze," the Creator countered. "For I will think of Fire, something that will warm all living creatures in the cold times." So the Creator took a stick, and stuck it into the sun, and it came ablaze with fire. Giving it to Rainbow Crow, he warned him, telling him to hurry back to the earth before his stick burnt up. Rainbow Crow flew fast and hard to the earth, but the fire took its toll. His feathers became char black, covered with the ash of their forgotten beauty; the smoke of the fire clogged his throat, robbing him of his beautiful song and giving him a rough cough for a cry. When he arrived back on earth, he was nearly unrecognizable, but the fire had just enough of the stick left to be salvaged and used by the animal people. While the animal people celebrated the gift the Creator gave to them, the gift of tindeh, fire, Rainbow Crow sat aside by himself, saddened and depressed. He felt the brush of the wind, and noticedKijiamuh Ka'ong walking towards him."Why are you saddened, Rainbow Crow?" Rainbow Crow explained what the Creator already knew: that the sacrifice of his beautiful plumage and his wonderful voice had left him downtrodden and sorrowful. "Do not be sad, my friend," the Creator comforted him. "The animal people will remember what you did for them forever. When the two-leggeds, the humans, come, they will not hunt for you, for I have made your meat to taste like smoke, and they will never put you in a cage to sing for them." Creator then pointed to Rainbow Crow's feathers. Suddenly, within each one, all the colors of the rainbow seemed to show, though the black was mysteriously visible also. The Creator had put an oil on Rainbow Crow's feathers, He explained, so that "everyone would always remember the sacrifice of Rainbow Crow." And that is why to this day no one eats the crow.
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