The Cottonwood Sings

Hunku, known as First Woman, is immortal and never grows old. Animals and plants love her, yet she feels lonely and spends each day at the riverbank, where she cries herself to sleep. Beaver, who lives in the river, falls in love with Hunku and asks the Great Spirit to transform him into a man. His wish is granted, and Beaver becomes Takahe, First Man. The Great Spirit gives him a condition: one day, he must return to his life as Beaver.