_Cherokee_
Humming Bird and Crane were both in love with a pretty woman. She
liked Humming Bird, who was handsome. Crane was ugly, but he would not
give up the pretty woman. So at last to get rid of him, she told them
they must have a race, and that she would marry the winner. Now
Humming Bird flew like a flash of light; but Crane was heavy and slow.
The birds started from the woman's house to fly around the world to
the beginning. Humming Bird flew off like an arrow. He flew all day
and when he stopped to roost he was far ahead.
Crane flew heavily, but he flew all night long. He stopped at daylight
at a creek to rest. Humming Bird waked up, and flew on again, and soon
he reached a creek, and behold! there was Crane, spearing tadpoles
with his long bill. Humming Bird flew on.
Soon Crane started on and flew all night as before. Humming Bird slept
on his roost.
Next morning Humming Bird flew on and Crane was far, far ahead. The
fourth day, Crane was spearing tadpoles for dinner when Humming Bird
caught up with him. By the seventh day Crane was a whole night's
travel ahead. At last he reached the beginning again. He stopped at
the creek and preened his feathers, and then in the early morning went
to the woman's house. Humming Bird was far, far behind.
But the woman declared she would not marry so ugly a man as Crane.
Therefore she remained single.