In days long past, when the earth and the people were still young, all crows were white as snow. During this time the people used stone-tipped weapons to hunt the buffalo for food. Hunting was hard, dangerous, and uncertain due to the white crows. The crows would swoop down to warn the buffalo that the hunters were coming.

Because the crows could fly, they warned the buffalo of the people among them.

"Caw, caw, caw, cousins, hunters are coming. They are creeping up through that gully over there. They are coming up behind that hill. Watch out! Caw, caw, caw!"

After being warned by the white crows, the buffalo would stampede, and the people would begin to starve. After coming up empty from the hunts, the council knew they had to capture the big white crow and teach him a lesson.

The chief of the people told his nephew "Sneak among the buffalo. They will think you are one of them and you can capture the big white crow."

As the young man crept among the herd, he waited for the crow to warn the buffalo.