In the time before memory, when the earth was still young and filled with wonder, the crow was not black as we know it today. His feathers shone white as winter snow, and when he sang, his voice carried through the valleys, soft and sweet like the songs of spring. Among all birds, Crow was the most beautiful and the most trusted messenger of the Cherokee people.
One harsh winter, darkness and cold spread across the land. The people’s fires had died, and no warmth or light remained. Crops froze in the ground, rivers turned to ice, and children wept in the freezing nights. The elders prayed to the Great Spirit, asking how they might survive. The answer came in a dream: someone must bring fire from the Sun. But the journey was perilous. It meant flying higher than any creature had flown before, through winds that tore wings apart and heat that could burn them to ash.
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The animals gathered in council. Bear, swift but heavy, could not reach the sky. Wolf could run far but not fly. Finally, the people turned to Crow, the shining white bird whose strength and song had always brought hope. “Go to the Sun,” they pleaded, “and bring back fire so that we may live.”
Crow looked at the starving people and nodded. “I will go,” he said. “If I do not return, remember that I tried.” His wings gleamed like moonlight as he rose from the snowy earth, climbing higher and higher into the endless sky.
He flew past clouds, past storms, past the icy breath of the mountains. The world grew smaller beneath him, and the sky turned bright as flame. At last, Crow reached the Sun’s dwelling, a land of blazing gold where no living creature had ever gone before. The Sun, seeing the noble bird, said, “Why have you come so far from the world below?”
Crow bowed his head and replied, “The people suffer. Their fires have gone out, and they freeze in the dark. I beg you for a spark of your flame so they may live.”
The Sun was moved by his courage. “Take this,” said the Sun, giving him a small, glowing coal of fire wrapped in bark. “But guard it well, it burns with the life of all things.”
Crow held the coal in his beak and began his long flight home. The ember glowed fiercely. As he flew, the smoke rose around him, staining his white feathers grey. The heat scorched his wings, and pain tore through his body, yet he did not drop the coal. The wind blew hard, and tears streamed from his eyes, but Crow pressed on, determined to save his people.
By the time he neared the earth, his feathers were blackened, and his once-sweet voice had turned hoarse from the smoke. But in one last burst of strength, he let the burning coal fall among the people. They caught it, built new fires, and light spread once again across the land. The ice melted, warmth returned, and joy filled every heart.
The Cherokee people danced and sang in gratitude, honouring the brave bird who had saved them. When Crow looked down at himself, he saw that his feathers were now deep black, and his voice could no longer sing sweetly. Saddened, he turned his eyes to the sky.
Then the Great Spirit spoke gently from above: “Crow, though your feathers are blackened and your song changed, all who see you will remember your courage. Your colour will forever mark your sacrifice, not as shame, but as honour.”
And so, from that day to this, the crow has worn black feathers that shine in the sunlight, a reminder of his selfless act. Though his voice is rough, it carries the echo of bravery that once saved the world from cold and darkness.
Moral Lesson
The story of Why the Crow Is Black teaches that true beauty lies in courage and sacrifice. It reminds us that even when we lose something of ourselves, our bravery can bring warmth and life to others.
Knowledge Check
1. What was the crow’s original colour in the story?
The crow was originally white, with feathers as bright as snow.
2. Why did the people ask Crow for help?
They were freezing because all the world’s fire had gone out during winter.
3. Who gave Crow the fire?
The Sun, moved by Crow’s bravery, gave him a burning coal to carry back to Earth.
4. How did the crow’s feathers turn black?
The smoke and heat from the burning coal scorched his white feathers during his flight.
5. What happened to Crow’s voice?
His voice became rough and hoarse from the smoke, losing its former sweetness.
6. What is the main moral of this Cherokee legend?
That courage and self-sacrifice bring light to others, even at great personal cost.
Source
Adapted from “Why the Crow Is Black (Cherokee Legend)”, Native-Languages.org.
Cultural Origin: Cherokee Nation (Appalachian Region, Southeastern United States).
