Raven and the Man That Sits on the Tides
Raven, Seagull & the Coming of Light
When the Great Spirit made all things, the First People were given gifts in carved cedar boxes.
The First People were the animal people who were here before us.
In one box there was water. And when that box was opened, all the water came out of the box
and rose to the sky in the shape of clouds. It then fell from the sky as rain, and formed the
streams and rivers that flowed out to the sea.
Another box contained all the mountains. They were taken out, and placed where they still
stand to this day. Yet another box contained all the seeds of things that grow. And another box
held the wind, which blew out, and blew the seeds to the four corners of the world.
Each of the First People opened their boxes, that is, all except Seagull. And in Seagull's
box was all the light of the world. But Seagull clutched the box tightly. And so it was: In
the beginning there was only darkness.
The animal people all asked Seagull to open the box. Seagull refused, squeezing the wooden
box tightly under one of Seagull's wings. And so the First People asked Raven -- who was
Seagull's cousin -- to try.
Raven tried everything: asking, begging, demanding, pleading, coaxing, flattering. But nothing
worked, and Raven grew ever so angry at Seagull's refusal. Raven thought this thought:
"Seagull is making it hard for all The People. Seagull is causing so much trouble. It would
serve Seagull right if Seagull had a thorn stuck in Seagull's foot."
And since whatever Raven thinks, happens, Seagull suddenly cried out with pain.
"My foot, my foot, something is stuck in my foot." And Raven offered to help, as if Raven
didn't know what had happened.
But when Raven reached for Seagull's foot, and found the thorn there, Raven did not pull it
out. Raven pushed it in.
"Oh, I am sorry, Seagull, but I can't see what I am doing. If I only had a little bit of light."
And so, Seagull lifted the lid of the box just a crack, to let out as little of the light as
possible. And all the specks of light lifted into the heavens. And Raven was the first to see
the Stars. And they were very beautiful.
Raven now reached for Seagull's foot again, and once again pushed the thorn deeper. Seagull
cried out, flapping one wing but holding the box tightly with the other. Raven said, "I'm sorry,
but there is not enough light. Open the box some more!"
And so Seagull lifted the lid a bit more, just enough to let out a round, pale light. It
floated up to the sky. And Raven was the first to see the Moon. And it was very beautiful.
Raven reached down for Seagull's foot one more time, and pushed the thorn deep. Seagull cried
out! Both wings went up, and Seagull dropped the box.
The lid flew off, and out shot a great ball of fire. It shot up, up. high into the sky, and
even Raven could not look at that light so bright, that great light which is the Sun.
And so it was that the first day came. And in the beginning, There was indeed Light.
This story is common the the Native Peoples in the coastal areas of Oregon, Washington,
Alaska and British Columbia. The particular version comes from the Nootka people on Vancouver
Island.
An interesting epilogue to this story goes as follows: "If you visit the place where Seagull
lives, and if you watch Seagull, you will see that sometimes Seagull lifts one foot and stands
only on the other. That is because the thorn is still in Seagull's foot."
Other versions of the story suggest that Raven did pull the thorn out, but that Raven and
Seagull have not spoken to each other since!