Grandmother Spider

Buzzard swooped down past the people guarding the great fire, snatched a piece of the fire, and hid it in his head feathers. Before he could get very far, his head was ablaze. The people managed to get the piece of fire back and Buzzard was left with a bright-red, blistered head and no more head feathers. To this day, buzzards have naked and blistered looking heads.

Crow took it upon himself to make the next trip. He was very clever and with his white feathers and sweet singing voice, he figured he would have the best chance. He took so long, however, trying to figure out which piece of fire to snatch that he turned black from the smoke of the fire and his voice became raspy.

Everyone was frenzied when Crow returned without a piece of fire. Grandmother Spider climbed to a high branch and shouted at the top of her voice that she would go and get the fire. Some laughed at such a small creature succeeding where the others failed, but it was agreed that she deserved a chance.

Grandmother Spider went to a nearby stream and gathered a bit of clay from the bank. With her tiny legs she made a clay pot with a tiny lid. She put the pot on her back and with the spin of a web she made her way to the East. She was so small that the people guarding the fire took no notice of her. She pulled a piece of the fire out and put it in her clay pot. Quickly, she made her back across the web to her own people.

Grandmother Spider taught the human people to tend to the fire. She taught them to feed it with sticks, to keep it within stones for safety, and to respect the fire. Grandmother Spider taught the human people to make pots of clay and how to weave and spin.

Grandmother Spider was rewarded with having the symbol of fire placed on her back, and she is revered and remembered for her contribution to all humanity.

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