Atondido Stories
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.
Soon there was light in all the world. But Raven could not see
very well, for the light was too bright and his eyes were not ac-
customed to it. He sat for a time looking towards the east, but he
saw there nothing of interest. The next day he saw a bit farther,
for he was now getting used to the new conditions. The third
day he could see distinctly a line of hills far in the east, rising
against the sky, and covered with a blue mist. He looked long at
the strange sight. Then he saw far away towards the hill a thin
column of smoke lifting heavenwards. He had never seen smoke
before, but he had often heard of it from travellers in strange
places. "That must be the country of which I have been told," he
said. "In that land dwell the people who alone possess Fire. We
have searched for it for many ages and now I think we have
found it." Then he thought, "We now have the daylight, and
what a fine thing it would be if we could also have Fire," and he
determined to set out to find it.
On the following day he called his servants together and told
them of his plans. He said, "We shall set out at once, for the dis-
tance is far." And he asked three of his best servants, Robin, Mole
and Flea, to go with him. Flea brought out his little wagon and
they all tried to get into it, but it was much too small to hold
them. Then they tried Mole's carriage, but it was much too frail,
and it had scarcely started to move when it broke down and
they all fell out in a heap. Then they tried Robin's carriage, but it
was much too high and it toppled over under its heavy load and
threw them all to the ground. Then Raven stole Sea-gull's large
strong carriage, for Sea-gull was asleep, and it did very well, and
they started on their journey, taking turns pushing the carriage
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