Long ago, when the earth was young and animals could speak, a single family of birds discovered a bountiful lake teeming with fish. For generations, they lived in harmony, sharing the water’s gifts. But as time passed and the families separated—some to the snowy peaks, others staying by the water—they forgot their shared history.

When a harsh winter forces the starving Mountain Birds to seek refuge with their kin at the lake, they are met not with kindness, but with rejection and greed. It takes the threat of hungry predators and the wisdom of the trickster spirit, Nanaboozho, to teach them a lesson about unity and compassion.

Discover the ancient tale of how the Gaagaagi (Crow), Aandeg (Raven), and Asiginaak (Blackbird) earned their names in this moving story about treating others as we wish to be treated.