Although its exact history is unclear, the fable of the rainbow crow evolved from Native American mythology, telling how fire came to earth.
Crows used to have beautiful voices and brightly coloured feathers. One harsh winter all creatures were cold and buried in the snow so they elect the colourful crow to fly and ask the creator for help. She’s given a sprig of fire to take back to earth. The fire melts the snow and saves the other animals, but crow arrived injured, with charred feathers and a hoarse smoky voice. Once healed, though, her shiny feathers shone a rich, deep black with all the colours of the rainbow. It’s a fable of selflessness and service.
I thought of rainbow crow on a recent walk at the beach. I bet there’s a story here.