Legend Categories
North America / Great Plains Area
Blackfoot - Contest Between the Thunder-Bird and the Raven


Once the Thunder-Bird and the Raven tried their respective powers. The Thunder-Bird carried off the wife of the Raven and refused to release her upon the Raven's demand. Then the Raven made medicine. He caused winter with a great snowfall. It was so cold that the only way in which the Thunder-Bird could keep from freezing was by constantly flashing his lightning. Yet the power of the Raven was so great that the Thunder-Bird could barely keep a hole melted out large enough for his body to rest in. At last he was forced to give up Raven's wife. Now, when there is much snow or a cold wave, the people go out and call to the Raven to take pity on the people.

Anthropological Papers American Museum of Natural History, Vol. II, 1908.