Dr Embers presents – Rainbow Crow: A Lenape Story

“The eye sees only what the mind is prepared to comprehend.”
— Henri Bergson

How often do we pass by the ordinary…
 without ever truly seeing it?

In a world that moves ever faster, we grow accustomed to glancing rather than looking…
 to judging rather than understanding.
 And yet—what if the dull, the dark, the unremarkable…
 were only waiting for us to look again?

Tonight, by the fire, we turn to a tale from the Lenape people…
 a story of sacrifice, transformation, and quiet heroism.

This is Rainbow Crow—a legend that asks us not only to listen…
but to see.

To look deeper.
To question what we think we know.
And perhaps… to recognise that what appears broken or plain…
may in truth be something far more extraordinary.

So draw closer to the hearth…
 and let us begin.

The Fire is Lit!

Follow the journey on Instagram: @Doctor.Embers
Speak with me directly: doctor.embers@outlook.com

If something you hear stays with you,
 you are always welcome to share it —
 a thought, a reflection, or even a story of your own.

Join the circle — like and subscribe,
 so you never miss a chance to journey with us.

Transcript

SPEAKER_02 0:30

This is First and Tales, a podcast of story and poetry told by the fire. We look upon nature, what may seem dull or ordinary, is often anything but for there's a quiet wonder in the world, waiting not to be seen, but to be understood. As Henry Burgesson once said, the eye sees only what the mind is prepared to comprehend. For how often do we mistake what is altered for what is diminished? How often do we look and yet fail to truly see? So tonight come closer to the fire as we journey together with the rainbow crow. A long, long time ago, when the world was new and young, it was filled with mountains and rivers, lakes and great oceans, hills and trees, fields, forests and meadows. It was filled with everything that the great creator spirit who lived in the sky thought of so far. Now, in those early days the great creator spirit had yet to think of men and women and children, but had thought of animals. She thought of animals and she thought, hmm, what about a really, really small one, tart to the water? And of course there were all the fish, and then she started to think of different colours that they could be in different scales, and then she thought of big ones and small ones, and then she looked at the land and created all sorts of animals on the land. Now in those early days the animals all lived according to a great equal harmony. Some fed on grass and on plants, others fed on other animals. And at the start of every day, the sun would rise, warm them, and as the day goes on start and the moon would come out, or the stars twinkling, or the wonders of the firm and all the animals would talk. For in those days the animals could talk. In fact, today animals can still talk, but there aren't many who can understand what they're saying. Still, the great creator was sitting up there thinking of everything. And she would think, Hmm. What happened? Let me think about some water falling from the sky that could nourish the land. Hmm, let me think about that. And of course it would start to rain. And the great creator thought, Hmm, I wonder how big I can make a land animal. Wonder how big I could really make one. And so she thought about that and then she made one with a big, big, big long nose so it could easily scoop up all the food on the ground because it's a wave is so high up. How's he gonna do that? And then she thought, hmm, all the plant animals are eating all the leaves from the bottom of the tree. But nobody's getting to the top one. They seem to be fighting for each other for those leaves at the bottom of the tree. How about to create an animal with a big, big tall neck to eat the leaves from the top of the tree? And this is how it went. And the animals were used to going to bed and arising to see a new animal, new weather, and the world changing around them. But one day something new happened, something strange. At first it was just a few drops, small and little and white, felt wet and cold. But as it started to drift down in greater and greater numbers, and started to lay upon the ground, covering everything in a layer of white. It landed on their noses, made 'em sneeze. They shake their heads. They stuck their tongues out and tasted it and was surprised how cold it was. But as the deluge settled and the snow covered the ground, the animals on day one started to play, running in and out of the snow headlong straight into it and popping up, scaring each other by hiding in the snow, snowball fights. It was all jolly good fun. And they all went to bed very tired, with a big smile on their face. What a great day it'd been. But the next day the snow was still there. And it was cold. Very cold. Some of the big animals didn't mind so much, big shaggy fur, but some of the smaller ones, like the squirrels or the small birds, certainly started to struggle. Mice had to go scurrying and hiding in the holes and shiver together with their families to stay warm. And as the day went on, the animals that ate plants began to realize that it was difficult to find food. Of course the animals that ate other animals weren't quite so concerned until somebody pointed out where their meals came from. And so shivering in the cold, the animals gathered together. Not just for to discuss what was to be done about this new stuff that they called snow. That a great creator spirit just created. I will go, said Whale, leaping above the waves, open its cavallous mouth and crashing back into the water.

SPEAKER_00 6:54

My voice is strong and clear and carries far. I will be able to tell the great creator spirit what's happened and ask it to unthink snow.

SPEAKER_02 7:11

It is true, said the other animals. Your voice is strong and melodious, and does indeed carry far. But you cannot leave the ocean. You will not reach the great creator spirit in the sky. We must choose another animal. Just then little squirrel hopped up and down. I will go darting back and forth and forwards and up and down, as he's sort of scampering around, screaming, Look at me, look at me, I can do it, I can do it, I can go.

SPEAKER_04 7:39

Snow is not a friend to me, or to my family, and I can claim the Mikey Record, a quarrel from the topless project, and thou'st the great creator spot, hun think snow.

SPEAKER_02 7:49

It is true, said the other animals. You can scamper very fast, and you can reach the very tops of the trees, but your voice is small, and the great creator spirit may not hear you, so high in the sky. You must choose a different animal.

SPEAKER_01 8:06

I will go, said Eagle, spreading its broad wings and crying out I can soar among the clouds, and my cry can be heard echoing among the mountain tops. I will fly to the great creatorsburg and ask it to unthink snow.

SPEAKER_02 8:26

It's true, said the other animals. You can fly high in the sky, and your voice does carry far, but in here the animals looked from one to another, struggling to think about the right words to say. Your voice is it's kind of harsh. We're worried it may not please the great creator spirit.

unknown 8:48

No.

SPEAKER_02 8:49

We must choose a different animal. And now there was a silence that long an awkward silence where everybody looks to each other and yet tries not to lock eyes on anybody. And then in that silence stretched out what felt like too far. Then one bird stepped forward. And this was Crow. Back in those days when the world was young, Crow was not as crow as now. Back then, Crow had feathers. They were all the colours of the rainbow. Vibrant reds, burnt oranges, sunshine yellow, fresh greens, cool blues, deep indigos and soft violets. Back then Crow's voice was different. When Crow spoke, it was like hearing the very taste of honey. I will go, said Rainbow Crow.

SPEAKER_03 10:00

I can fly high in the sky, and I can sing, so I can reach the great creator spirit, and sing the song of Sna. And ask it to unthink what it is newly created.

SPEAKER_02 10:16

That's very true, said the other animals. You can fly high enough, and your voice is melodious. The great creator spirit cannot fail to listen to you, and your rainbow coloured feathers are so striking, reminded of so many wonderful creations. Surely it must listen to your plea. And so, without delay, Rainbow Crow spread its multi hued wings and took off into the air. Its wings beat as it rose higher and higher, as high as the treetops and higher, as high as the mountain tops and yet higher, as high as the clouds, and yet higher still. Maybe it was hours or maybe it was days. But the Rainbow Crow's journey took it up and up and on and on until eventually the ground below was a distant blanket of white, with a land, the treetops and even the frozen lakes and rivers covered all in snow. And as it climbed higher and higher, Rainbow Crow entered the domain of the great creator spirit, where all around was blackness and licked with millions upon millions of shiny twinkly stars, like a water full of jewels frozen in descent. And in the distance Rainbow Crow could see the great creator spirit and flew towards her. And few more besides. The rainbow crow was but a tiny speck in comparison as it landed upon the great being's shoulders, and began to sing a golden song of the earth below, of the animals and the coming of the snow, and all it had brought. Hearing notes of such grace and beauty, the great creator spirit turned and looked at the bird, which settled upon her open hand, and seeing feathers of such bright and varied hues, she smiled. And welcomed Rainbow Crow and asked why you travelled so far And what did it want?

SPEAKER_03 12:56

Oh great creator spirit, you've created all things and brought us all into being. I come to speak to you on behalf of the animals in the world. You'll have made Bavo. New snow that you have thought of and created was at first a wonder and a pleasure for us all, but now it lies upon things, has frozen the ground and the waters, and soon we are to starve, or freeze to death. Please, Great Creator Spirit I have come to be the voice of all the living animals, and to beg you to unthink snow.

SPEAKER_02 13:33

The Great Creator Spirit smiled sadly down at the beautiful bird, and slowly shook her head. Once something has been made it cannot be unmade. So I cannot unmake snow. Then the great creator spirit thought for a moment, and reaching down from the place in the dark sky to the world below, picked up a stick. Shook the snow from it, reached out and placed one end in the sun. Immediately a flame was kindled, and the great creator spirit turned to Rainbow Crow. I give you the gift of fire, she said. Take this burning stick back down to the world below and use it to light other fires. Where those fires are lit, the animals may gather and stay warm, and the snow will melt until it is time for it to come again. And Rainbow Crow thanked the great creator spirit, and danced in the darkness full of joy, trilling in song and watching as the light from the flame that also danced and reflected in its rainbow feathers, and then with the burning stick held fast in its beak, it headed down, down, down to the world, down, down, down away from the darkness, down, down, down deeper still, back down through the clouds and past the tops of the mountains, past the tops of the trees, and down, down, down to the earth. But as it flew, the smoke and the ash and the soot from the burning stick streamed back along its body, covering its beautiful feathers and choking and burning its throat. Heroically it continued its journey until it reached the ground to save the animals from what we now know as winter. There it shared the gift of fire and showed other animals how to make their own fires and a cluster around the flames for warmth. And as the great creator spirit had promised, the snow began to melt and seep into the ground, ran in rivulets to become streams, which became rivers that ran on to the mighty oceans. This is how Crow brought the gift of fire from the great Creator Spirit in the sky, and how the first spring came about. But sadly this is not the end of our story. For although Crow had saved the animals, its rainbow plumage was now sooty black. Its golden throated song was now a rough crow, no longer rainbow, flew back to the great creator spirit in the sky, and asked that the damage be undone and to make it as it had once been, a rainbow crow with the golden voice. But again the great creator spirit said no. This was now how Crow must be, and again Crow's wings dropped and it dipped its head in sad. Take heart said the Great Creator Spirit. And because your plumage is not brightly coloured, they will not hunt you for your feathers. But if you need to remember the bird that once you were, you need only to look closely at your feathers, and you will see the rainbows hidden within the darkness. Now it is true if you take a black froze feather, turn it this way and that in the light, you can see a shining rainbow iridescent sparkling in the depths. If this place has become familiar, you can follow the podcast so the next story finds you. And if you have thoughts, reflections or ideas, speak up. If you'd like to request a favourite story, poem, or theme, I am all ears. Perhaps you too have crafted a wondrous work you wish to be shared by the fire. You'll find a way to share it in the episode notes. Until we meet again, keep the fire close.