9

Immature Hunger

Often a bird’s most powerful survival skill is the readiness to flee.

—G. Gordon’s Field Guide to the Birds of the Pacific Northwest

Once there was a crow and the crow was very thirsty. The crow came upon a tall pitcher full of water and the water looked clean and cool. But the crow’s beak was too short to reach the water and the crow did not have any hands to tip the pitcher. The sun grew hot, and the crow grew thirstier and wished someone would come along and help. But nobody did.

After a while, the crow saw pebbles lying near and had an idea. It dropped the pebbles one by one into the pitcher until the water rose high enough and the crow had a nice long drink of cool water.

“What a clever crow I am,” the crow said. It was no longer thirsty, and it flew away.

Once there was a little crow and it did not know how to swim. “Why should I swim when I know how to fly?” asked the crow. And the crow flew away and left a feather as he went. It was a magic feather and anyone who held it could fly too.

Once there was a little crow and he was a clever crow and the clever little crow could talk and sing. But nobody seemed to understand what he was saying.