Owls 

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The Owl’s decree. This is a version of an old Mayan Indian tale. The Mayans had many gods that watched and took care of the young earth. Chac, god of rain, gathered all the birds of the land to help prepare the earth for planting as spring was near. Chac knew that Tohil, the fire god, would be by soon to burn the old stalks of the dead plants. Chac told the birds that they needed to gather and save seeds and grains from all the plants and bring them to the woods until it was time to plant. Owl, being the wisest of the birds asked Chac when the birds should start. The rain god replied, "At first light, tomorrow, for Tohil shall surely be here by the noon. I shall return tomorrow. Just then the brightly feathered Cuckoo bird, not paying any attention chirped, " What is going on? What should we do? Where are we going? Are we going now?" The Owl, being patient, explained, " Little Cuckoo bird you must remember what we tell you, it is truly important. The Parrot not being so patient, interrupted, "Why bother explaining what we need to do? The silly bird hasn’t helped us before, so why should she care about helping us now. All she does is admire her pretty many colored feathers and sing her pretty songs." The Owl continued explaining, "Little Cuckoo, we have important work to do tomorrow for Tohil will be coming to set fire to the dry forest. We must gather all the seeds and grains and take them to safety so that we will be able to plant them for our winter food. The Chac has told us we must start at first light, in order to finish before Tohil comes." The Cuckoo bird cried," Oh no, the fire god is coming! Then there will be frightful flames and terrible choking smoke! I do not like fire but I promise to help do my share for Parrot is right. I have not helped before." In the early morning hours, when the light of the false dawn made it possible to see, the Owl flew to the top of the tallest tree. As he looked about he noticed the thick smoke and fires quickly jumping from bush to bush. He flew down and called to the birds, "Quickly, quickly my friends! The fire god is coming early! Fly to the fields and gather the seeds!" But as the birds flew towards the fields they saw that the smoke already covered the fields so they sat in the branches of the trees that were safe from the fire. In despair they waited for Chac. Suddenly, they couldn’t believe their eyes but they saw a bird flying back and forth among the flames. The Parrot cried, "Surely it must be a heavenly bird that the gods have sent us to save our seeds!" As the bird saved the last of the seeds and grains it flew to a small pond near the trees. The owl exclaimed, "It is our little Cuckoo who has saved the seeds!" "But that can not be!" said the Parrot, "For our Cuckoo has bright feathers and this one has smoke colored feathers!" The wise Owl said, "Look closer, my friends, for our brave cuckoo’s feathers are gray from the smoke and fire." Just then the god Chac appeared. The birds of the forest all spoke at once to the great god to tell him of Cuckoo’s courage. The loudest of the birds to sing about Cuckoo’s bravery was the Parrot. Chac smiling, turned to Owl, since of course the Owl was the wisest of the birds, and asked, "How shall we reward our hero, wise one?" The Owl spoke to Cuckoo and all the birds and decreed, "Dear Cuckoo, to show our thankfulness ,all of us will care for your children and your children’s children for now on. You will never have to worry about having a nest, for our nests are your nests." To this very day, the little gray Cuckoo leaves her eggs with the other birds.