Raven´s Tale

By Anna Baginski

After the Twins made man and gave him the gift of fire, Man promptly lost it, and found himself alone and cold in the dark, dark world. He knew though that the Twins still had a great torch that they kept in their cave, and so he went to the animals to ask them to steal it for him.
First Man went to Bear, the largest and strongest of all the animals. Bear, Man said, will you steal Fire from the Twins for me? I have a cave that is large and warm and you may stay there all winter.
No, Man, said Bear, I will not steal Fire for you. For I too have a cave that is warm and large, and I sleep there all winter. I do not need your help.
Man thanked the Bear and went to Fox, the swiftest and most cunning of all the animals. Fox, said Man, will you steal Fire from the Twins for me? I am good and clever with a needle, I will make you a coat that will be the envy of all those who see you.
No, Man, said Fox, I will not steal Fire for you. For my fiery coat is already the envy of all those who see you. I do not need your help.
Man thanked Fox and went to seek help elsewhere. But none of the other animals would help him. They knew that he had lost Fire through his own folly and they did not wish to risk the terrible ire of the Twins to steal it back for him.
As Man was walking back to his cold, dark, lonely cave, Raven spoke to him from up in the tree. Back then, Raven's plumage was white as the new fallen snow, and it was the King of all the Bird kingdoms. Man, said Raven, I have watched you speak to all the animals, and ask for their help, yet you have not asked me. Why?
You are the King of Birds, said Man, I could not ask you to aid me in my folly.
Raven nodded. Now that you know that the fault was yours, Man, I will help you, said Raven. I will steal Fire from the Twins for you.
And so Raven flew up to the home of the Twins, and stole the torch that held the fire, and so that the twins would not see it by it's brilliant plumage, Raven rolled its self in the ashes that Fire bled, and it's plumage became as inky as night.
When Raven brought Fire back to Man, Man rejoiced and said to Raven - Ask me what you will and I will give it! Raven shook its head and said - you have nothing I want right now, Man, but when you do, I will return and claim it.
Many years passed. Man's Father died, and Man was reading his funeral pyre, when the sky became filled with the sound of ebony wings, and Raven and his family came to Man's house. Well, Man said Raven, you now have something we want - we will claim the body of our Father, and we will feast.
Man was aghast. I cannot allow you to feast on the body of my Father. Take something else.
There is nothing else you have that we want, Man, said Raven. You have promised us anything we wanted, and this is what we want.
In anger Man screamed out and shot Raven with his bow. And as Raven fell dying, he said to Man - so this is how your keep your promises?
And this, my children is why the Raven's plumage is black, and why battlefields are ever full of Ravens, for they are only trying to reclaim what was once promised them.