Turtle Island - Native American

My name is Muskrat, and though I am small, my heart is brave. I remember a time, long before memory, when there was no land at all, just an endless, shimmering sea under a sky full of spirits. My friends and I—the sleek otter, the strong beaver, and the graceful loon—swam and played in the vast blue world, but something was always missing: a place to rest our feet, a place for roots to grow. One day, a brilliant light fell from a hole in the sky, and we saw a beautiful woman gently floating down toward us. This is the story of how she came to us, and how our world, the great land known as Turtle Island, came to be.

When the beautiful Sky Woman fell, the geese saw her and flew up in a V-formation, creating a soft net with their wings to catch her. They brought her down safely to the water's surface, where the Great Turtle, ancient and wise, offered his strong, wide back for her to rest upon. She was grateful, but her heart was heavy. "In the Sky World," she explained, her voice like soft chimes, "I had a garden. I managed to bring some seeds with me, but they cannot grow on water." She needed soil, a piece of the Earth from the bottom of the great sea. A council was called. The proud Otter boasted, "I am the swiftest swimmer! I will go!" He took a great breath and vanished into the blue depths, but soon he returned, gasping for air with empty paws. Then the mighty Beaver slapped his tail on the water. "My teeth can chew through any tree! Surely I am strong enough!" He plunged in, staying under for a very long time, but he too came up with nothing. One by one, the strongest and bravest animals tried and failed. Hope began to fade like the setting sun on the water. I watched them all, my whiskers twitching nervously. I was not the strongest or the fastest, but I knew I had to try. "I will go," I squeaked. Some of the bigger animals chuckled, but the Great Turtle gave me a slow, encouraging nod. I took the deepest breath my little lungs could hold and dove into the cold, dark water. Down, down, down I went, far past where the sunlight could reach. My lungs burned, and my heart pounded a frantic drum against my ribs. Just when I thought I couldn't go on, my tiny paws touched something soft. Mud. I grabbed a small handful, held it tight in my paw, and pushed for the surface with all my might.

When I reached the top, I was so exhausted I could barely breathe. The other animals helped me onto the Great Turtle’s back, and I collapsed. But as they gathered around, I slowly opened my paw. There it was: a tiny, precious clump of wet Earth. Sky Woman took the soil with a grateful smile and placed it in the center of the turtle’s shell. Then, a miracle began. She started to walk in a circle around the bit of mud, chanting softly. With every step she took, the soil began to grow and spread. It grew wider and wider, covering the turtle’s entire back. From the Earth sprouted green grasses, tall trees with whispering leaves, and flowers of every color imaginable. It became the land we all live on today. My small act of courage, born from a great determination to help, had provided the seed for a new world. This story was told by elders around crackling fires, passed down through generations of the Haudenosaunee and Anishinaabe peoples. It taught them that even the smallest person can make the biggest difference with courage and perseverance. The story of Turtle Island reminds us that our world is a precious gift, resting on the back of a patient spirit, and that we must care for it, and for each other, with love.