2. The Crow (and the Thunder-Bird)

2. THE CROW (AND THE THUNDER-BIRD).

The Crow's language used to be very loud. He was talking all the time. There was no low tide, and consequently he could not obtain any food. The Crow always knows the people's thoughts. Whatever one contemplates p. 15 (doing), he is able to tell it. When a person is doomed to die, the Crow knows it. He is also able to tell whenever a person wants to go anywhere. He is talking all the time.

Once a man came to Crow, and said, "You are talking too much. Let us trade our languages. I'll give you my speech." At the same time the river was full of water, and there was no low tide. So Crow answered, "Good, let us trade!" They traded; and the other man received Thunder's language, while Crow obtained his present-day p. 16 language. Now, Crow said to him, "Speak with this language." He did so, and the ground almost shook as he spoke. Again Crow said to him, "Whenever you get angry, you shall use this language." Then the man said to Crow, "Now try my language!" Crow tried it, and liked it very much. Whenever he twinkled his eyes, it began to lighten. So they exchanged languages.

Then the man said to Crow, "Close your eyes, and the water will run down. One-half of the ocean will become p. 17 dry, and likewise all kinds of food. Whatever you pick up shall be your food; but you may look only when I tell you to do so." Crow closed his eyes, and the water commenced to run down. He soon got tired waiting, and opened his eyes. To his surprise, the river was almost dry. (He again closed his eyes.)

All kinds of food (fishes) began to flop around. He heard the noise, and decided to open his eyes; but as soon as he opened them, the other man yelled to him, "You are looking too soon! I haven't told you yet to open your eyes!" After a while, Crow was permitted to p. 18 open his eyes. He saw the different kinds of food lying along the beach.

Then Crow said, "I'll exchange my lightning for the evening low tide." They did so; and the other man came into the possession of the lightning, while Crow obtained the evening low tide. Crow said to the man, "Whenever you speak, there will be lightning." The man tried it, and it was so. Then he spoke with the Thunder language.

Crow said to him, "Now you are all right." Then the p. 19 man said to Crow, "Suppose you try to speak with the language which I gave you." Crow spoke with it, and the man said, "Whenever some one is ready to come from anywhere, you will make this event known. You shall always talk at the sight of a person. You will watch, if anything bad gets ready to come (here)." Thus the man spoke.

And, indeed, it is so nowadays; for such is at the present Crow's custom. He is always talking whenever he sees a person. Here the story ends. Thus people know (the story of) the Thunder (and) the Crow.