The Sacrifice of the Rainbow Bird

THIS STORY IS from the early days of the world, when animals still talked to humans. The Sun and the Moon were already in place, as were most of the stars in the sky. But around this time, seasons had gradually settled upon the world, and the Earth’s creatures were bewildered by the changes—especially the long, cruel cold of winter.

In those days, the world was having its first terrible winter, and everyone was suffering. The birds were trying to fly south but had little idea where to fly and where to rest. The field mice were still learning how to store up food—it still