Long ago, the Crows were all as white as snow. The Indian People were still on foot, because Horses had not been brought to them yet. They did not have guns or weapons that were made of iron. They only had bows and arrows, and spears with flint tips. They used these weapons to hunt Buffalo, and it was a very tricky and dangerous hunt. This was made especially hard by Crow.
You see, Crow was a friend of Buffalo. He would warn Buffalo every time that our People were hunting for Buffalo. Crow would fly high in the Sky, where he could see everything that was going on. When he saw our People on our way to hunt Buffalo, he would rush down to Buffalo and light between his horns. Then, he would yell "Caw, Caw, Caw", Cousins, hunters are coming. They are creeping up through that gully there. Save yourselves, watch out, "Caw, Caw, Caw".
Hearing this warning, Buffalo would run. The People would be left in a cloud of dust, and they would starve. This greatly angered our People. There was much talk, and they decided to hold a council. Among the Crows, there was a great big Crow, twice the size as all of the others. He was their leader, and was the biggest friend to the Buffalo. So one wise old chief said that we must catch this Crow. He said, we must catch him and teach him a lesson. It is either that or go hungry.
He brought out a large Buffalo hide, with the head and horns still on it. He put this hide on the back of a strong young warrior and said, Nephew, sneak out among the Buffalo. They will think that you are one of them. When the Crow comes, you can capture the big white Crow. So the warrior did this. He went among the Buffalo and pretended to graze for grass, along with the rest of the herd. They did not pay him any attention. The rest of his People then got their bows and spears ready and headed toward the Buffalo herd. When they approached the herd, the Crows came as usual, calling out to the herd, "Caw, Caw, Caw". "Danger". The hunters are coming. Save yourselves. Caw, Caw, Caw". The herd all ran, and left a great cloud of dust behind. But the warrior still pretended to graze. Then, the big White Crow lit on his head and yelled, "Caw, Caw, Caw. Brother, are you deaf, save yourself. But as he did this, the young warrior caught Crow by his legs and tied them together and to a large stone. No matter how hard Crow tried to escape, he could not.
Again the People sat in council. They smoked the pipe and talked. They said, What shall we do with this big, Crow, who has made us go hungry again and again.
I will burn him up, answered one angry hunter, and before anyone could stop him, he yanked the Crow from the hands of his captor and hurled him into the council fire, bird, string, and stone. He said, "This will teach you".
But the string burned in two almost at once, and Crow escaped from the fire. But he was badly singed, and some of his feathers were charred. He was still big, but he was no longer white. "Caw, Caw, Caw", he cried as he flew away as fast as he could fly. I will never do it again. I will stop warning the Buffalo, and so will all of the Crow nation, "Caw, Caw, Caw".
And so the Crow escaped. He still warns others of coming danger, but he leaves Buffalo alone. And ever since that day, Crow has been black.
