Japanese Folk Tale

Tales about Birds, Beasts, Plants and Trees 271
Further reference:
At Gokasho in Higo they say the bird that wants water was formerly
an unfilial child.
288. The Owl Dyer
Long ago the crow was a dyer. In those days the kite was pure
white, a splendid bird, but he was in danger because he could be seen
so easily by men. He went to the crow dyer and asked to have his
feathers dyed. The kite got angry when it was finished. He complained,
"See what a dirty color you dyed my feathers." He would not pay the
bill. Even now, when the crow meets the kite, he shouts angrily at him
to pay the bill.
Nagasaki, Ikinoshima
Aomori, Hachinohe: MK II 12 55, "The owl dyer" (Fukuro konya).
Sannohe-gun, Hashikami-mura, Akahonai: Okunan.* See the item
below.
Sannohe-gun, Gonohe: Tekkiri 311, "The owl dyer" (Oho no konya).
The owl was the dyer. The eagle, the pheasant and his wife, the
woodpecker, the sparrow, the pigeon, and others are explained in
detail. Finally, the crow came and asked to be dyed the very best
color. The owl thought that was mean and dyed him black. That is
why the crow picks on the owl if it comes out in the daytime.
Iwate: Kunohe 483, "The owl and the crow" (Fukuro to karasu).
Hienuki-gun: Kosho 11 4, "The kite and the crow" (Tobi to karasu).
The kite was the dyer. The crow came and asked to be dyed to
look better than anybody else. The kite dyed him coal black. When
the crow came to see, he did not like it. That is the reason they
are not friends.
Iwate-gun, Tairadate: Nihon den 255, "The owl and the crow"
(Fukuro to karasu).
Waga-gun: Dobutsu 17.* A kite dyer. The crow came and asked
that his coat be dyed the best color in the world. He didn't like
the black it was dyed and asked that it be dyed once more to his
former white. He is forever chasing the kite and calling, "Kingoro,
the kite, fooled me, kaa."
Iwate-gun: Kikimimi 417, "The crow and the kite" (Karasu to tobi).
The kite was the dyer. He was so busy that he finally dyed the
crow dark blue all over to get it done.
Akita, Senhoku-gun: Ugo 77. This mentions the owl dyer.
Fukushima, Iwaki-gun: Iwaki 184, "Why the crow is black" (Karasu no
kuroi wake).
Nagano, Kitaazumi-gun: MK II 10 19, "The owl dyer" (Fukuro konya).
The owl comes out only at night because he is afraid of the crow.