Nanabozho and the Theft of Fire
In the beginning, fire belonged only to the spirits and the people shivered in the cold. Nanabozho, the culture hero, decided to steal fire for humanity. He traveled to the lodge of the Old Man who guarded the only flame, guarded by a fierce serpent. Nanabozho transformed himself into a rabbit to sneak past the serpent. He grabbed a burning brand and fled, with the Old Man and the serpent in pursuit. As he ran, the fire scorched the trees around him, which is why the birch tree still bears black marks on its white bark to this day. Nanabozho passed the fire to the animals who relayed it to the