Fables

How Little Elk and Crow Became Brothers

Early one morning, not long after he was born, Little Elk was
walking at the edge of the forest in a clearing near the beach, nibbling
and tasting his way along, when he heard the strangest sound.

“Caw, Caw, Caw,” came the sound, “Caw, Caw, Caw.”

Little Elk had never heard such a sound and it made him quite curious. Turning his head to look, Little Elk marveled as Crow swooped toward him and landed on the nearby beach.

“Caw Caw, Caw,” called Crow again, hopping along the beach in the direction of Little Elk.

“What are you eating there Little Elk?” asked Crow.
Surprised by the question from this approaching stranger, Little Elk scampered a few steps away, then turned and faced Crow.

“I’m eating clover,” answered Little Elk. “It is very sweet, my favorite…but, who
are you?”
Crow puffed out his chest feathers to look bigger, and exclaimed, “Why, Little Elk, I am Crow, the most marvelous of all birds!”

Crow spread his wings and with a powerful flick, leapt up into the air and then softly landed in the field near Little Elk. “You see, I am light as air and can fly like the wind.

“I am Crow!”

Just then, Big Elk came by, glaring at Crow.

Big Elk turned to Little Elk. “Watch out for that one Little Elk, he will pluck out your fur!”

Crow, flying up to sit on a branch, looked down at Big Elk and said, “Yes Big Elk, I pluck out your fur. I use it to line my nest. It makes it very warm and dry. And, you have so much of it I didn’t think you would miss just a little bit.”
“Well I don’t like it when you pluck out my fur,” declared Big Elk, “it hurts!

“You are such a bother.”

After that, Little Elk didn’t think too much about Crow. He would hear Crow often and see Crow fly about, but he was busy growing up and that meant eating and eating and eating.

As he wandered alongside his mother, Little Elk noticed her munching on all sorts of different plants. Soon, following her lead, he learned just what to eat and where to find it.

To be continued …

Fable and Photographs by Brian Humphrey – Copyright 2024. All rights reserved.

Crow tells him where the best clover is
Crow tells him about human beings
Crow tells him about roadways
Crow warns him of wolf and coyote
Crow eats ticks, parasites
declared Big Elk, wol