The Legend of Muskrat and Terrapin

Before there was an Earth as we know it, there was only water and the Creatures that lived there. High above the water was the land of the Sky People and the large tree with white roots that stretched to the four sacred directions.

One night, the Wife of Sky Chief had a vision that this tree would be uprooted and the hole that it formed would lead to a very special place. The Chief of Sky People instructed the young men to pull the tree up by the roots, but the roots were much too deep. The Chief pushed the young men aside and wrapped his arms around the tree. Sky Chief pulled with all his might until the tree broke loose. Into the hole everyone looked.

Sky Woman, the Wife of Sky Chief looked into the hole, leaning farther and farther, searching for the very special place described to her in her vision. She leaned farther still. In an instant she lost her footing and down she went into the water.

The Creatures of the water looked up at the falling woman and knew that she could not survive in their world. Could she return to her world? Could the Creatures help her in their world? They had heard of a place far below the watery surface of the world. A place they heard was made of Earth. How could they reach the Earth and what would they do once they had it? There was no time to waste for Sky Woman could not live long in their world. Straightaway, they held Creature Council and decided to give Duck the honor of fetching Earth. Try as he might he could not reach the depth of the bottom where Earth was supposed to be. Next they asked Beaver to try. With his strong tail and keen sense, he could find Earth. But he returned to the surface exhausted, without Earth, he failed as well. The water was much too deep and Earth much too far away. All the beautiful Creatures tried one by one, but no one was able to reach the bottom where Earth was supposed to be. How sad the world was that day.

"Let me try", came a shy tiny voice, "please, let me try." It was little Muskrat. No one believed little Muskrat could dive deep enough. He was so small, so weak, and so shy. How could he be strong enough? But he was proud and he was brave. He believed in himself because he knew these waters. He plunged below the water and disappeared. Muskrat swam and swam. Deeper he went into the darkness, his lungs hurt, but still he swam downward.

The Creatures up above worried in silence. They feared their shy little friend Muskrat would be lost forever. And so did little Muskrat himself. After a long, long time without finding Earth, he thought he would die. At what seemed to be his last moment, he bumped into something. Was it Earth, could it be? He reached out a tiny paw and grabbed a bit of it and up he went. He returned to the surface barely alive and stretched a tiny paw high towards the Sky. All of the Creatures cried with glee "he has it, he has the Earth!" The precious Earth began to drip from Muskrat's tiny paw. Quickly, all the Creatures clamored "Where should we place it?". "Over here" cried Terrapin, "Place it on my back." They placed it on her back and at once it began to grow Swiftly it grew high and wide on Terrapin's back just in time. Sky Woman landed on this which grew on Terrapin's back. Seeds that had fallen from the Sky World landed on this which grew on Terrapin's back. Other Creatures began to explore this which grew on Terrapin's back.

And from this which grew on Terrapin's back all life on Mother Earth began.