In the beginning of the world, there was
no fire. The animal people were often cold.
Only the Thunders, who lived in the world
beyond the sky arch, had fire. At last
they sent Lightning down to an island.
Lightning put fire into the bottom of
a hollow sycamore tree.  The animal people
knew that the fire was there, because
they could see smoke rising from the top
of the tree. But they could not get to it
on account of the water. So they held a
council to decide what to do.

  Everyone that could fly or could swim was
eager to go after the fire. Raven said,
"Let me go. I am large and strong." At
that time Raven was white. He flew high
and far across the water and reached the
top of the sycamore tree. While he sat
there wondering what to do, the heat
scorched all his feathers black. The
frightened Raven flew home without the
fire, and his feathers have been black
ever since. 

Then the council sent Screech Owl. He
flew to the island. But while he was
looking down into the hollow tree, a
blast of hot air came up and nearly
burned out his eyes. He flew home and
to this day, Screech Owl's eyes are red.

  Then Hooting Owl and Horned Owl were
sent to the island together. But the
smoke nearly blinded them, and the ashes
carried up by the wind made white rings
about their eyes. They had to come home,
and were never able to get rid of the
white rings.

  Then Little Snake swam across to the
island, crawled through the grass to
the tree, and entered it through a small
hole at the bottom. But the smoke and
the heat were too much for him, too. He
escaped alive, but his body had been
scorched black. And it was so twisted
that he doubled on his track as if
always trying to escape from a small space.
  Big Snake, the climber, offered to go
for fire, but he fell into the burning
stump and became as black as Little
Snake. He has been the great blacksnake
ever since.

  At last Water Spider said that she
would go. Water Spider has black downy
hair and red stripes on her body. She
could run on top of water and she could
dive to the bottom. She would have no
trouble in getting to the island. 

"But you are so little, how will you
carry enough fire?" the council asked.
  "I'll manage all right," answered Water
Spider. "I can spin a web." so she spun
a thread from her body and wove it into
a little bowl and fastened the little
bowl on her back. Then she crossed over
to the island and through the grass. She
put one little coal of fire into her bowl
and brought it across to the people.

  Ever since, we have had fire. And the
Water Spider still has her little bowl
on her back.