Canadian Fairy Tales — John Stuart Mill — John Shaqi
Canadian Fairy Tales
John Stuart Mill · en
Soon afterwards Raven gathered some prickly thorns and burdocks and
scattered them on the ground between Sea-gull's house and the beach
where the canoes were lying. Then he went to Sea-gull's window and
cried loudly, "Our canoes are going adrift in the surf. Come quickly
and help me to save them." Sea-gull sprang out of bed and ran
half-asleep on his bare feet. But as he ran to the beach the thorns
stuck in his bare flesh, and he howled with pain. He crawled back to
his house, saying, "My canoe may go adrift if it pleases; I cannot
walk because of the splinters in my feet." Raven chuckled to himself,
and he moved away, pretending to go to the beach to draw up the
canoes. Then he went into Sea-gull's house. Sea-gull was still howling
with pain; he was sitting crying on the side of his bed and he was
trying to pull the thorns from his feet as best he could. "I will help
you," said Raven, "for I have often done this before. I am a very good
doctor." So he took an awl made from whale-bone and he caught hold of
Sea-gull's foot, with the pretence of removing the thorns. But instead
of taking them out he only pushed them in farther until poor Sea-gull
howled louder than ever. And Raven said, "It is so dark I cannot see
to pull these thorns from your feet. Give me some daylight and I will
soon cure you. A doctor must always have a little light." So Sea-gull
unlocked the box and lifted the cover just a little bit so that a
faint gleam of light came out. "That is better," said Raven. But
instead of picking out the thorns he pushed them in as he had done
before, until Sea-gull howled and kicked in pain. "Why are you so
stingy with your light?" snapped Raven. "Do you think I am an owl and
that I can see well enough in the darkness to heal your feet? Open the
box wide and I will soon make you well." So saying he purposely fell
heavily against Sea-gull and knocked the box on the floor. The cover
flew open and daylight escaped and spread quickly over all the world.
Poor Sea-gull tried his best to lure it back again into the box, but
his efforts proved fruitless, for it had gone for ever. Raven said he
was very sorry for the accident, but after he had taken all the thorns
from Sea-gull's feet he went home laughing to himself and well pleased
because of the success of his trick.