Now these people talked about the wild potatoes. Just about that time, Redbird said to Blackbird, “Those people are planning to attack us, for our wild potatoes. What shall you do?” Blackbird said at once what he would do. Then Redbird said what he would do. The very next day those people came. Redbird heard their voices. At once he began to grow smaller and smaller until he was only a single feather lying on the ground. When Blackbird heard their voices, he hit himself against the house, and soon there was only an awl standing there.
The people came and searched everywhere. They said, “No, we can’t find those men,” so they went home.
Blackbird and Redbird were a little afraid they would come back. So they changed themselves into birds. Redbird flew to the woods, but Blackbird went over the lake to live.
LITTLE GRAY WOODPECKER
Wyandot
Once a beautiful Indian maiden used to go often to dances. When she was dressing for the dance, Gray Woodpecker would come to help her. He helped her put the many colors on her face.
Now Little Gray Woodpecker was gray all over. He had only a few small white spots. Now one day the maiden left some red paint on the bit of wood she used for a brush. Woodpecker saw this, and he said, “I will make myself beautiful with this.” So Gray Woodpecker took the brush and rubbed it just over his ears, on each side of his head. He did this many times. That is why he has two tiny red stripes on the sides of his head.
OWL
Eastern Eskimo
Sometimes Owl greatly disturbs a camp of Indians. Short-eared Owl will come to a camp just at the dimming of the twilight, and when the Indians hear his quiet flitting through the trees they are on the alert. Immediately they hang up some robe or leggings which they have not worn, which is just a silent way of saying, “We are not so poor as you think.” Owl annoys only poor people.