In a Native American legend, evil Manabush brought together all birds to mark some for death.
Because the small grebe is awkward on land, he was easily caught,
and Manabush said he wasn’t worth killing.
Manabush bestowed upon the grebe a red eye so all birds would laugh at him,
and kicked him into Lake Michigan and knocked off his tail.
That is why today, the little grebe has a bright red eye and almost no tail.