Once long ago, one half of the world had fire and they shared it with their animal friends. But on the other side, the world was cold. And they didn't have fire and they had to cook and eat without fire, (not that I know how they could cook without fire.) The people on the cold side of the world wanted fire. They had tasted some hot tea and they wanted some. And the animals thought, "If we could get some fire, then we could trade it with the people for things we want. We could be really powerful." So one by one, they went and tried to ask for some fire. But they were never given any. So they decided to try and steal it. So first, the black snake said,

"I'm the fastest. I can go in and out before anyone can see me." So that night, he crept on the other side of the world and when everybody was asleep, he went in, got a piece of the fire, and got out. But when he was going back to his side of the world, it got too hot for him to carry. So he put it on his back. And that's how he got coal black, as black as he is today. And he went back and said, "I tried but I failed." Then Mr. Buzzard went in, got some of the fire and got out before anybody could see him.

But when he was going back, it got too hot for him to carry in his claws so he put the fire on top of his head. And it burned off every feather he had on his head. And so, that's how Mr. Buzzard got bald. And he went back and said, "I tried but I failed." Then Little Owl said, "I'll go. I'll see if I can get some fire." And he snuck over to the other side of the world when everyone was asleep. And he was coming in too fast and he ran into coals and it burned rings around his eyes. And he went back and said, "I tried but I failed." Then, no one else wanted to go. Until finally, Grandmother Spider came.

But when she stepped forward, everybody laughed and said, "Look at you. You're too small. You can't get the fire." And she said, "Just let me try." She went over to the other side of the world while everybody was sleeping. And as she was going she was thinking. Before she went into the village, she went down to the river and made a tiny clay pot. Then she went into the village, picked up some fire and put it in the pot. She went back to her side of the world and all the way, the coal was glowing in her little tiny pot. When she got back, she made a small fire and gathered everybody around it. And that's how We got fire into the whole world. We can also thank Grandmother Spider for giving us the idea of pottery.

Jade Forrest Heron Taylor, age 8

Phoenix Forrest Winds Altamirano, age 6

Rivers Azurite Altamirano, age 4

ys was activated in Ohio in 1985.