Wyandots- people who lived beyond the sky
Shaman tells Indians to dig around a tree by chief’s lodge; break through the Sky Land floor
Tree and chief’s daughter fall through into a sheet of water
Swans see her falling, catch her on their back, go to Big Turtle to ask what to do with her
Animal Council gathers, suggest divers go down to get some Earth from its roots to create an island for the girl
They all go to where the tree fell, have to dive down into water to collect the Earth
Otter dives down, drowns. Muskrat tries, drowns. Beaver tries, drowns.
Old Toad offers to try, the animals laugh at her. Big Turtle tells her to go for it
Old Toad comes up with a few grains of Earth, spits them out and dies as well
Small Turtle rubs the grains on the edges of Big Turtle’s shell
Shell begins to grow into an island; becomes large enough for woman to live on
Island grows larger and larger until it becomes the Earth we know today
Earthquakes occur when Big Turtle moves his foot
The whole world was dark, except inside the tepee of an old chief
Chief owns all light, fire, and water- didn’t share light
Animals go and try to steal the light
Everyone puts on masks and dancing aprons- goes to chief’s lodge for a dance
Each animal sang their own song, they all sang for Light in their own way
Chief constantly refused to give them light
Animals sang for light loudly and steadily; light begins to steal up into the sky
Chief notices, starts shouting “let there not be” to stop it (but he didn’t say “light” at the end so it didn’t work)
Animals keep dancing/singing, Chief shouts “Let there be light!” in a panic
Light shone throughout the sky; Men have had light ever since
Raven/Seagull were friends who lived near one another
World was constantly dark; Seagull owned the daylight that stayed in a box
Seagull only let the light out for his own personal use
Raven thought that was selfish; planned to steal it/let it out
Puts thorn branches outside Seagull’s house; tells Seagull his canoe has been set adrift
Seagull runs out of his house barefoot; gets thorns in his feet
Raven offers to pull thorns out; says Seagull needs to let some daylight out of box so he can see
Raven pushes Seagull’s arm, breaking the box and letting the light out
Raven cleans himself, paints face black
After four days, Raven sees smoke on the south shore of the sea
Raven’s servants try to paddle in canoe to the smoke, but it was swamped
Borrows Seagull’s canoe; goes to house of the Fire People
Steals the baby in the home and runs away
Sturgeon, Whale, Seal and others go search for Raven and his boat
Raven returns to his home with the baby
Fire People try to give Raven presents in exchange for the baby
Raven refuses all gifts, but agrees to return the baby for some fire
Fire People give Raven fire, and teach him how to make fire
Story Source: Myths and Legends of British North America by Katharine Berry Judson (1917)
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