IN the beginning, the birds were created naked, but because of their
ill-shaped bodies and long legs they were ashamed and remained in hiding.
At that time their throats had not been so arranged that they could sing.
A long time afterwards they learned their music from the falling rain
and the whistling wind. But they could talk, and with loud voices they
bewailed their fate. Finally, with one accord, they began to cry and
shout as loud as they could, asking that they be provided with coverings.
The Great Spirit thereupon sent them word that their dresses were all
ready, but that he did not have time to come and see that they were
properly fitted. If they were in need of their raiment they must either
go or send to a particular place a long way off, where they would find
the coverings.
A vote for a messenger was taken and the turkey buzzard was chosen
because he was so strong and hardy. He started proudly on his mission,
but the distance was so great that he became nearly famished before
reaching his destination, and, contrary to his habits in those days, he
was compelled to eat carrion to sustain life. At last he came to the
appointed place and found the coverings ready. As a reward for making
the journey, the buzzard had been given first choice of the garments.
He at once selected the most beautiful of the lot, but upon trying it
discovered that he could not fly well with so many long feathers to
manage, and so he laid the dress aside and tried others. One he feared
would soil too easily; another was not warm enough to satisfy his taste;
a third was too light-colored and would render him too conspicuous; a
fourth was composed of too many pieces and would require too much of his
time to care for it. So he went from one to another, finding some fault
with each, until there was but one suit left the plainest of all. As the
buzzard had been expressly forbidden to try on any of the coverings more
than once, he had but one choice left, and must either accept the plain,
homely, coarse suit he has since worn or go naked.
Often when the birds hold councils in the woods they talk quite sharply
to the buzzard for his uncleanly habits. He never fails to retort that
his ancestor acquired them while doing a great service for others, and
he closes the discussion by reminding them that they have no special
reason to be vain, as he had choice of all the bird coverings and took
the one that pleased him best.