Beschrijving
This is the bow and drill (or bowdrill) fire-making version of Rainbow Crow. The back and forth stroking of the bow is analogous to walking or flying towards the sun. The longer and harder the "journey" the more the drill grinds into the fireboard, creating black wood powder, smoke, and finally a hot coal, or a "piece of the sun." Numerous animals try to bring back a piece of the sun, but are unsuccessful. Rainbow crow finally makes the journey, bringing a tinder bundle in the form of a soft, fluffy bird nest to carry the ember back to the council of animals. The journey to the sun scorches Rainbow Crow's beautiful feathers, turning them charcoal black, while flying back with the thick smoke of the "nest" causes him to lose his melodic voice.
In the more traditional version of the story, the Sky Spirit gives Rainbow Crow fire to take back to all the animals. It is said that the story originated with the Lenape people, but the tribe denies any connection to the story or any significant connection to crows in their culture, suggesting that it may be a modification of a Cherokee story instead. The bow & drill version is a newer retelling of the story, which has circulated among various primitive skills programs for children. Children have the opportunity to be participants in the story by deciding which animals attempt the journey to bring back a piece of the sun, resulting in a new variation of the story every time it is told.
https://owlschool.org/
https://hopspress.com/Books/Participating_in_Nature.htm
#rainbowcrow #crow #storytime