Big Turtle

Based on a Native American.

Many years ago the world had two parts.
Animals lived in the lower part, which was was completely covered in water and had
no land or soil. Above was the Sky World, where the sky people lived.
The Sky World had lots of soil, with beautiful mountains and valleys. One day a girl
from the Sky World went for a long walk and became very tired.
!"m so tired, ! need to rest she said. She sat down under the spreading branches of an
apple tree and #uickly fell asleep.
Suddenly, there was a rumbling sound like thunder and the ground began to crack. A
big hole opened up ne$t to the apple tree.
What"s happening% screamed the frightened girl. She tried to move but it was too
late. She and the tree slid through the hole and tumbled over and over towards the
watery world below.
&elp me' &elp me' screamed the girl. (uckily two swans were swimming below
and saw the girl tumbling down from the sky.
)ome on' yelled one swan. (et"s catch her before she hits the water
Okay' yelled the other.
The swans spread their wings together and caught the girl on their soft feather backs.
Whew' That was lucky said the girl. *ut what do ! do now% ! can"t get back up to
the Sky World and ! can"t stay on your backs forever.
We"ll take you to *ig turtle said the swans. &e knows everything.
After hearing what happened, the *ig Turtle called all the animals in the water world
to a meeting. &e told them an old story about soil being found deep under the water.
!f we can get some of that soil, we can build an island on my back for you to live on
said the *ig Turtle. Sounds good to me said the young girl.
The Otter, *eaver and Muskrat started arguing over who would dive for the soil.
!"ll go said the sleek Otter, brushing his glossy fur.
+o' !"ll go said *eaver, slapping the water with his big flat tail.
!"m the best swimmer said Muskrat !"ll go.
Aaaachooo' snee,ed the young girl. -uys, guys, would .ust one of you go. These
swan feathers are getting up my nose and making me snee,e.
Sorry said the swans.
That"s alright said the young Sky girl.
Then Toskwaye the little Toad, popped up out of the water. !"ll go. ! can dive very
deep she said.
The other animals started laughing and pointing at Toskwaye. /ou' /ou"re too small
and ugly to help. cried the others, laughing.
*e #uite' said *ig Turtle in a loud, stern voice. 0veryone is e#ual and everyone
will have a chance to try.
The sleek Otter smoothed his glossy fur, took a deep breath and slid into the water. &e
was gone for a long time before he came up gasping for air.
!t was too deep he said. ! couldn"t dive that far.
+ow it"s my turn said *eaver. &e slapped the water with his tail as he disappeared.
After a long time he came to the surface again.
!t"s too far he gasped. +o one can dive that deep.
Muskrat tried ne$t and failed. Aaaachoo' snee,ed the young girl. This is not
looking good
+ow it"s my turn said little Toskwaye the Toad. She took a deep breath and .umped
into the water. She was gone a very long time and everyone thought they wouldn"t see
her again.
Suddenly Otter pointed at the water, shouting (ook, look' *ubbles'
Toskwaye"s small, ugly face appeared through the water. She spat a few grains of soil
onto the *ig Turtle"s back, then fell back into the water 1 dead.The Turtle ordered the
others to rub the soil grains and spread them around on his shell. The grains grew and
grew, until a large island was formed 1 big enough for the girl to live on.
!t grew into our world as we know it today. And the descendants of the Sky girl
became the 0arth"s people.
Today, some people say the whole world still rests on *ig Turtles back. When he gets
tired and changes his position, we have earth#uakes.
Toad has not been forgotten either. American native !ndians call her Mashutaha,
which means "Our -randmother". +o one is allowed to harm her.
T&0 0+2
(Source from http://www.planetozkids.com)