The Little Bird

Long, long ago, in times immemorial, there was no fire on Earth, and no one knew how to obtain it. Then it was decided to go to the god himself to fetch fire. But the god was far away. Who could reach him? They turned to the big birds. The big birds refused, the small ones did too, and even the lark didn't want to go. A little bird listened to them arguing among themselves and said:

"If no one wants to fly there, I will go!"

"But you're so small! Your wings are so short! You won't make it; you'll die of exhaustion."

"I'll try," said the little bird, "and if I die on the way, so be it!"

And so she flew, and she flew so fast that she soon reached the god's throne. The god was very surprised to see her. He sat her on his lap but hesitated to give her the fire.

"You'll burn up," he said, "while flying back to Earth."

But the little bird insisted.

"Very well, then! I'll give you what you ask for," said the god. "But don't rush, don't fly too fast. If you fly too quickly, your feathers will catch fire."

The little bird promised to be careful, and off she flew, happily heading back to Earth. While she was still far away, she remembered the advice and didn't hurry. But as she approached and saw from afar how everyone was waiting for her on Earth, she flew faster... And what the god had predicted happened. She brought fire to Earth, and everyone immediately seized it, but the poor little bird was left without a single feather. They had all burned away!

Then the birds fussed around her. Each one plucked a feather from themselves to quickly fashion some kind of clothing for the little bird. That's why she has such colorful plumage now. Only one nasty bird—the owl—refused to give her anything. And then all the birds attacked the owl to teach it a lesson for such heartlessness. The owl had to hide. That's why it only comes out at night, and if it appears during the day, all the birds flock together, attack it, and chase it back into its hollow.

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The Little Bird

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