The Legend of the Raven

[duriyah]

A recent entry by one of my lj friends reminded me of my very favorite episode of Northern Exposure, when Marilyn tells the story of how Raven stole the sun at a winter pageant. (My second favorite is when Ed and Ruth Ann dance on her grave, at the edge of a cliff. Man, that show could do endings.) I did some googling and found the text. It is from an episode called "Seoul Mates", from the third season. The text is simple, but Marilyn's telling, and the dramatization, were rich. I had recorded the show that night, and I must have rewatched the pageant a dozen times. I teared up each time. I wonder if I have the tape somewhere.

Anyway, here's the script of how Raven stole the sun.

The Legend of the Raven, as told by Marilyn Whirlwind
Episode 3.10, "Seoul Mates"

A long time ago, the raven looked down from the sky and saw that the people of the world were living in darkness.
The ball of light was kept hidden by a selfish old chief.
So the raven turned himself into a spruce needle and floated on the river where the chief's daughter came for water.
She drank the spruce needle.
She became pregnant and gave birth to a boy, who was the raven in disguise.
The baby cried and cried until the chief gave him the ball of light to play with.
As soon as he had the light, the raven turned back into himself.
The raven carried the light into the sky.
From then on, we no longer lived in darkness.