THE RAVEN AND THE GOOSE

Eskimo Folk-Tales, by Knud Rasmussen, [1921], at sacred-texts.com

p. 66

THE RAVEN AND THE GOOSE

DO you know why the raven is so black, so dull and black in colour? It is all because of its own obstinacy. Now listen.

 It happened in the days when all the birds were getting their colours and the pattern in their coats. And the raven and the goose happened to meet, and they agreed to paint each other.

 The raven began, and painted the other black, with a nice white pattern showing between.

 The goose thought that very fine indeed, and began to do the same by the raven, painting it a coat exactly like its own.

 But then the raven fell into a rage, and declared the pattern was frightfully ugly, and the goose, offended at all the fuss, simply splashed it black all over.

 And now you know why the raven is black.