How the birds got their feathers

Many winters in the past the creator of all things came to the earth to check on his creations. It was during the time when the leaves change color and fall to the earth. He saw that the trees were still growing.

He saw that the animals were happy, healthy and warm. He saw the Onkwehonwe were still following his teachings and were healthy and warm.

He was very pleased to see that the whole earth was in balance. The waters, mountains, animals and people took care of each other.

As he was leaving, he happened to notice the bird creatures. He saw that they were miserable. They had no feathers in that ancient day long ago. They couldn’t fly. They hopped to get around. They huddled together for warmth. Shonkwiatison felt sad for those birds.

He went back to the Skyworld. There, he found a bag full of feathered coats. All different colors sizes. He came back to Turtle Island and set the bag of coats on a tall mountain to the west. He called for a council of birds. Many birds came from the four directions to listen to Shonkwiatison.

He spoke. He asked them if they wanted coats to wear.

They, in unison, all said; “YES!”

They explained that winter was near and that they have no means to get warm.

He told them to choose one among themselves to go west to a tall mountain. There this bird will find a bag full of feathered coats on top of the great mountain. The bird that does this, the creator explained, will be the only one who can take a coat from the bag. The creator warned them that if they try on a coat, they can keep it forever. However, if they take it off, they can never wear it again. One chance.

The birds had a council to discuss and decide who is going to do this difficult task. Akweks (the eagle) said that he is strong enough to go on the journey to retrieve the bag of coats. However, he complained; “I can’t go today, I have a bad headache.”

The hawk said that he could easily do this task but, he complained that he twisted and sprained his ankle. He declined.

They met all day. Darkness was near. Not one bird volunteered to go to the mountain out west and get the bag of coats. All of them had excuses. As the sun set, their voices got louder and louder. They started to argue. Harsh words were exchanged.

Turkey buzzard rose and said; “I’ll go! Stop fighting.” He had a kind heart and wanted the arguing to stop.

It took turkey buzzard one day to reach the mountain. It took another day to reach the top. At the top he found the bag of coats. He picked it up and started back home. Two days later he returned to find all the other birds huddled together for warmth.

Turkey buzzard, although he was very tired, opened the bag, reached in and removed a beautiful blue coat. He tried it on. He liked it a lot. It was blue with a little white and black. However, out of the corner of his eye, he noticed in the bag another one that looked even better. He took off the blue coat and threw it to the ground. He could never wear it again.

Blue Jay was near and picked up the blue coat. It fit and it just so happened that blue was his favorite color. He still wears that blue coat to this very day.

Turkey buzzard meanwhile had taken out the coat that caught his eye. This one was a brilliant red. He tried it on and was thinking about keeping it. Again, out of the corner of his eye, he noticed another coat in the bag that looked even better. He took off the red coat and could never again put it on.

Cardinal was near. He picked up the red coat, tried it on and decided right then and there to keep it forever. Today, cardinal can be seen wearing that brilliant red coat.

Turkey buzzard meanwhile had taken out a most unusual coat. This one had brown, black and white speckled all over. It was light and fluffy. He tried it on. Everything fit comfortably. Except for the headpiece. He struggled to put it on because it was very snug and tight. It was so uncomfortable that he took it off and threw it to the ground and reached for another coat.

The owl was near. He was so cold and one could hear his beak clicking and chattering. He really didn’t care if the coat would fit or what color it was. He just wanted to warm up. He pushed his way through the crowd and grabbed the fluffy coat.

He quickly put on the coat. The headpiece was too small for him too. He forced the headpiece on and realized that it was so small it was making it hard for him to breathe. His eyes got bigger and bigger until they got stuck that way. Today he has the biggest eyes around.

One by one, buzzard reached into the bag and tried on a coat. Each time he found another coat that looked even better. Each time he took off the one he was wearing and threw it to the ground. All the other birds were wearing the coats that turkey buzzard threw away and were now flying all over the sky.

Finally buzzard reached into the bag and had to feel around for another coat. He found one and pulled it out. What he pulled made his stomach turn. This coat was and ugly, dull and smelly brown coat. Moths even flew from it. It had cobwebs all over it. Yuck! He said.

He didn’t even try it on. Instead he threw it to the ground and looked for another one. He reached into the bag and his dismay, he realized that there were no more left to wear…except the smelly brown one.

There was nothing he could do but clean it off the best he could and try it on. He shook it in the air and he saw moths and dust come off the coat.

Reluctantly, he tried it on. The coat was so old the headpiece fell apart into little pieces. Oh great! He muttered to himself. He continued to put on the rest of it. As he was putting his legs in the leggings began to tear and fall apart. Ugghh! He looked down and all he saw was his skinny white legs. He looked so funny that he didn’t want to be seen. So he took off into the sky and circled around the sky high up so that no one could really get a good look at him

He still circles in the sky to this very day.

That is the story of how the birds got their feathers long long ago.

By: Ray Tehanetorens Fadden