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Description
This is an interpretation of legends about the creation of the earth. Some tribes say that Skywoman, who was with child, fell down a hole created by the uprooting of a mighty tree to the place of waters where there was no land. She had in her hands seeds that she grabbed from the edge of the hole through which she fell.

Before she hit the water, two swans caught her and kept her aloft. All the other animals tried to grasp some earth from the bottom of the great waters, diving as deep as they dared, so that Skywoman would have a place to stand. None of them could swim deep enough or hold their breath long enough to succeed.

"I will try," said muskrat.

Muskrat was not the fastest, nor the strongest. He swam down until his lungs were about to burst. He was gone for a long time and all the other animals thought he had certainly perished. But he swam deep into the black -so deep- and managed to grasp a small amount of earth before he passed out and floated to the surface.

Once revived, muskrat placed the soil on turtle's back, and Skywoman placed the seeds in her hand onto the soil and instantly green life appeared as trees and grass and herbs.

Turtle offered Skywoman his back to ride upon and since then she has become Mother Earth.

Description
This is an interpretation of legends about the creation of the earth. Some tribes say that Skywoman, who was with child, fell down a hole created by the uprooting of a mighty tree to the place of waters where there was no land. She had in her hands seeds that she grabbed from the edge of the hole through which she fell.

Before she hit the water, two swans caught her and kept her aloft. All the other animals tried to grasp some earth from the bottom of the great waters, diving as deep as they dared, so that Skywoman would have a place to stand. None of them could swim deep enough or hold their breath long enough to succeed.

"I will try," said muskrat.

Muskrat was not the fastest, nor the strongest. He swam down until his lungs were about to burst. He was gone for a long time and all the other animals thought he had certainly perished. But he swam deep into the black -so deep- and managed to grasp a small amount of earth before he passed out and floated to the surface.

Once revived, muskrat placed the soil on turtle's back, and Skywoman placed the seeds in her hand onto the soil and instantly green life appeared as trees and grass and herbs.

Turtle offered Skywoman his back to ride upon and since then she has become Mother Earth.