No. 176
Concerning the Crows and the Owls
In a rock cave Crows and Owls made their dwelling. At night (rāe dawasaṭa) the eyes of the Owls see; the Crows’ do not see. Night after night having fallen, when the Crows and Owls had eaten, [the Owls] seized and seized the Crows, and began to pluck off the feathers [and eat them]. By that act the Crows began to be destroyed.
Thereafter the Crows spoke together: “Should we [continue to] make our dwelling with this party we shall all be destroyed. Because of it let us go to another country.”
Out of that set one Crow said, “You must make me stay [in order] to come [after] having killed the Owls. You all go.” He said further, “Having plucked off my feathers [until I am] like a pine-apple fruit, go ye.” Afterwards those Crows having seized that Crow and plucked off his feathers [until he was] like a pine-apple fruit, went away.
The Owls having come, when they looked there was not a single Crow. They asked that Crow, “What is it, friend, that has happened to you?”
Then the Crow says, “Anē! Friend, they said to me also, ‘Let us go.’ Because I said, ‘I will not,’ they seized me and plucked off my feathers, and the whole of them went away.”
Afterwards the Owls said, “Friend, can you show us the country in which the Crows are?”
Then the Crow says, “If you will assist me a little I can show you it. Until the time when my feathers come you must bring and give me food.”
The Owls, having said, “It is good,” nourished the Crow until the time when its feathers came. It having said, “Anē! Friend, as it becomes evening a chill strikes me. At the time when you are coming you must bring and give me a very little firewood to warm me on account of the cold,” the Owls one by one brought and gave the firewood. It heaped up on both sides of the doorway all this firewood that they are bringing.