rpetual night had no moon or stars.

There were, however, all manner of beasts and birds. Among the beasts
were many hideous, nameless monsters, as well as dragons, lions, tigers,
wolves, foxes, beavers, rabbits, squirrels, rats, mice, and all manner
of creeping things such as lizards and serpents. Mankind could not
prosper under such conditions, for the beasts and serpents destroyed all
human offspring.

All creatures had the power of speech and were gifted with reason.

There were two tribes of creatures: the birds or the feathered tribe and
the beasts. The former were organized under their chief, the eagle.

These tribes often held councils, and the birds wanted light admitted.
This the beasts repeatedly refused to do. Finally the birds made war
against the beasts.

The beasts were armed with clubs, but the eagle had taught his tribe to
use bows and arrows. The serpents were so wise that they could not all
be killed. One took refuge in a perpendicular cliff of a mountain in
Arizona, and his eye (changed into a brilliant stone) may be seen in
that rock to this day. The bears, when killed, would each be changed
into several other bears, so that the more bears the feathered tribe
killed, the more there were. The dragon could not be killed, either, for
he was covered with four coats of horny scales, and the arrows would not
penetrate these. One of the most hideous, vile monsters (nameless) was
proof against arrows, so the eagle flew high up in the air with a round,
white stone, and let it fall on this monster's head, killing him
instantly. This was such a good service that the stone was called
sacred. (A symbol of this stone is used in the tribal game of Kah.[1])
They fought for many days, but at last the birds won the victory.

After this war was over, although some evil beasts remained, the birds
were able to control the councils, and light was admitted. Then mankind
could live and prosper. The eagle was chief in this good fight:
therefore, his feathers were worn by man as emblems of wisdom, justice,
and power.

Among the few human beings that were yet alive was a woman who had been
blessed with many children, but these had always been destroyed by the
beasts. If by any means she succeeded in eluding the others, the dragon,
who was very wise and very evil, would come himself and eat her babes.

After many years a son of the rainstorm was born to her and she dug for
him a deep cave. The entrance to this cave she