In the beginning, the world existed in complete and suffocating darkness. Humans lived blindly, stumbling through endless night, surrounded by danger and uncertainty. There was no Sun, no Moon, and no stars in the sky. All light was hidden away by a powerful old man, often described as a wealthy chief or sorcerer, who kept the Sun, Moon, and stars locked inside precious wooden boxes deep within his home. Driven by greed and control, he refused to share the beauty of light with anyone else, believing it belonged to him alone.
Raven, a magical being known for curiosity and mischief, grew weary of the darkness and pitied the suffering of humans. Determined to change the world, Raven devised a bold and deceptive plan. Watching carefully, he waited until the old man’s daughter went down to the river to fetch water. Raven transformed himself into a tiny speck of dust or a pine needle and slipped unnoticed into her water vessel. When she drank, Raven entered her body, and in time, she gave birth to a human child. Raven had been reborn as the old man’s beloved grandson, welcomed into the house where the light was hidden.
The old man adored the child and could not refuse him anything. As the child grew, he cried and begged to play with the mysterious boxes. When the first box was opened, countless sparks of light burst forth, becoming the stars. Raven sent them flying up through the smoke hole of the house into the dark sky. From the second box emerged the glowing Moon, which Raven also released into the heavens. Finally, the child demanded the last and most precious box. The moment it was opened, Raven shed his human form, seized the blazing Sun in his beak, and burst upward through the smoke hole, escaping into the sky.
According to the legend, Raven was once pure white, but as he fled through the smoke and soot of the house, his feathers were burned and blackened forever. Chased by the furious old man, Raven flew high and threw the Sun into the highest place in the sky, where it ignited the world with warmth and light. Day was born, and life was forever changed.
At its core, this story carries profound meaning. Raven represents an imperfect hero, one who uses trickery and deception not for selfish gain, but for the survival of all living beings. The legend condemns hoarding and selfishness while celebrating the courage to challenge unjust power. It also reflects a worldview in which humans, animals, and spiritual forces are deeply interconnected, bound together through transformation, sacrifice, and balance. Through Raven’s actions, the world moves from darkness into light, reminding us that creation often comes from unexpected hands and flawed heroes.