that the present must be unusually fine.

"It is something more than a beetle or a field-mouse this time," she
thought. "Now what can I do for him? He is always so kind to me!"

Then the owl began to look about for something to do for her friend the
raven.

On the shore near their home tree a huge whale had once been caught and
cut up by the Eskimo hunters. Some of the bones still lay upon the
sandy beach.

"Oh," said the owl, as she chanced upon these whalebones, "I know the
very thing which will please my dear friend the raven!

"I will make for him a pair of beautiful whalebone boots! With them he
can walk over the sharp rocks and the icy cliffs in comfort and safety!"

Thereupon the owl sat down in the sand and went to work. It was not
long until the boots were finished. They were beautifully smooth and
slender and graceful.

"The raven cannot help being pleased," she said, as she carried the
boots toward the home tree. "I wonder if he is in!"

As she drew near the owl heard the raven calling her name. Answering
loudly, she hurried to the place where he waited. But before the raven
saw her she hid the whalebone boots among the grasses, that she might
surprise him later.

She found the raven hopping impatiently about and calling loudly.

"Here--here I am!" she cried. "I have been away for but a short
time--but you were away for days!"

"Oh, owl, dear," replied the raven, "though I have been absent I have
thought only of you!

"See! here is a beautiful new dress which I have made for you!" And
the raven spread before his friend a beautiful dress of dappled black
and white.

It was made of the softest, most beautiful feathers, lovely enough to
delight the heart of any bird.

"Oh, how very beautiful!" cried the owl. "How kind you are to me! How
did you ever think of anything so lovely?"

The raven smiled, well pleased with himself.

"Try it on," he said. "I am sure it will become you. I am certain
that when you see how lovely you look, you will never again wish to
wear anything but black and white."

Quickly the owl slipped from her old gray dress into the splendid new
one. Gently she fluttered about and ruffled the soft black and white
feathers.

"Where did you get them?" she said, circling about and looking at her
tail for the twentieth time.

"Sit down," commanded the raven, "and I will tell you!" So the owl
settled down on the branch beside the raven.

"I found the feathe