From Ainu Folklore
A Monster Attempts to Swallow the Sun
When God created the world the evil one did all he could to frustrate His designs, especially with regard to human beings. Now, after all things were made, the devil perceived that men could not possibly live without the light and warmth-giving sun. He therefore made up his mind to destroy that beautiful and useful work of creation, and thereby injure men. So he got up early one morning , long before the sun had risen, with the intention of swallowing it. But God knew of his designs, and made a crow to circumvent them. When the sun was rising the evil one opened his moth to swallow it; but the crow, who was lying in wait, flew down his throat, and so saved it. Hence the crows, remembering the benefits they once conferred upon the human race, have an idea that they may do just as they like with men, and live upon the food they provide for the sustenance of themselves and families. Thus we find that they have good cause for being bold and saucy, and it is not for men to say that crows are useless creatures.
A Monster Attempts to Swallow the Sun (alt)
A very long time ago, when the sun was about to rise for the first time, the devil opened his mouth to swallow it. Upon this a multitude of crows, they being the most numerous birds in the world, flew down his throat. This disconcerted him so that while he was busily engaged in getting rid of the feathers out of his mouth the sun arose, and it became daylight. And so the Ainu were all able to hunt and fish, and did not come to nothing, as the demons desired. For this reason, then, crows must be borne with and not grumbled about, even though they are bold and saucy and take the food away from the people. And although they should not be prayed to, yet inao* may be offered to them.
* Inao are religious symbols and fetishes made of whittled sticks.
Sunrise
When the sun rises at the head of the world [i.e. in the east], a devil tries to swallow it. But some one thrusts two or three crows or foxes into the devil’s mouth. Meanwhile the sun mounts on high. The creatures, than which there are none more numerous in this world, are the crows and the foxes. That is why things are thus. In return for this service of theirs, the crows and foxes share in all man’s eatables. It is because of the above fact.
Sources:
The Ainu and Their Folk-Lore, John Batchelor, 1901
Aino Folk-tales, Basil Hall Chamberlain, 1888
Kotharian Lightning 