Crow often went out on a raft to get food for his family, bringing home plenty of bush food - goanna, water-snake, duck, lily roots. Although Crow continually offers to loan the raft to Sandpiper, he hides it in the razor-grass every day. Sandpiper gets annoyed and decides to punish Crow for his deceit, setting fire to Crow's house. Crow was 'burned to black' and remains black today. Sandpiper's legs are 'striped with red' because he was injured by the razor-grass.