Cherokee - Grandmother Turtle and the Story of the Creation Cherokee - Grandmother Turtle and the Story of the Creation: Once, everywhere you looked there was water, and in all the directions there was water. The people everywhere had to tread the water in order to keep their heads above the water, so they would not drown. So, the people they called to the Great Mystery, the Great Mystery that dwells within us, and all around us, that they might have council. The Mystery said, “What is that you need?” And the people said, “We need something solid that we can put our feet upon, we need something to rest upon or else we will surely drown! The Mystery said to the people, “I want you to go down into the water, as deep as you can go, and whatever you find down there, bring that back to me.” So, the people gathered together, as they gathered together, Grandmother turtle came crawling out…. And said, “Let me try” The people said, “Grandma, Grandma, you’re too old, you’re liable to get hurt, let us young ones go.” The Hawk was the first to go, down did Hawk go, deep into the water till Hawk was gone from sight. After a while, Hawk returned, and Hawk said, “Folks, there is nothing there.” The people turned, and they started to scatter, as they started to scatter, Grandmother Turtle came crawling out…. And she said once again, “Let me try.” The people said, “Grandma, Grandma, you’re too old, let us young ones go.” Mink was the next one to go, down did Mink go, till Mink was gone from sight….. When Mink returned, he said, “Folks Hawk is right, there is nothing there. The people turned, and they started to scatter, as they started to scatter, Grandmother Turtle came crawling out, and she said, “Let me try!” The people said, “Grandma, Grandma, you’re too old, let us young ones go.” Beaver was the next to go…. Beaver slapped his tail, down into the water, and deep did Beaver go, till Beaver was gone from sight. After a while, Beaver returned and slapped the water again with his tail, and Beaver said, “Folks, Hawk and Mink was right, there is nothing there.” The people turned, and they started to scatter, as they started to scatter, Grandmother Turtle came crawling out, and she said, “Let me try.” The people said, Grandma, Grandma, you’re too old, let us young ones go!” And so did this happen ALL DAY LONG! As the sun traveled across the sky, the young ones would go down into the water, deep would they go, until they would be gone from sight…. Each would return with the same story, “There is nothing there!” And each time, the people would turn and start to scatter, and as they would start to scatter, Grandmother Turtle would come crawling out and the people would turn her away again and again. Until the last young one went down into the water and came back and said, “Yep, there is nothing down there!” And as the people turned with very sad and heavy hearts for the last time, Grandmother Turtle came crawling out…. And she said, “Let me try.” “Grandmother, Grandmother, you’re far too old, you saw us young ones all day long, we went down into the waters, we went deep, and there was nothing there!” Grandmother turtle said, “Well let me try anyway!” “You’re too old, you will never make it!” Grandmother Turtle said, “But, just give me a chance, The Great Mystery and I have known one another a very long time indeed! I will know where to look you will see, just give me a chance!” “Well, OK Grandmother, you can try, but remember, there is nothing down there, we told you so!” So, Grandmother Turtle she took a breath, then another, then another, and a small one! And she went down into the water, and she began to swim, fast did Grandmother Turtle swim, until she was gone from sight…. All day long, the people who had remained up above, had been watching the bubbles of those who had gone down below, and by this sign they knew everyone was OK…. So they were watching the bubbles of Grandmother Turtle…. When all of a sudden! The bubbles stopped!!!! “Oh No!!!! Grandmother Turtle is in trouble!!!! We told her she was too old! We did not want to lose her! Now we are going to have to save her!” As they were deciding who it was, that was going to go and rescue her, the bubbles started again! “Look!” they said, “Grandmother Turtle is OK!” They looked down into the water, deep did they looked, and they saw Grandmother Turtle, and Grandmother was swimming fast! As fast as Grandmother Turtle could swim to the top! And when she got to the top, she stretched forth her arm, and in her hand was a clump of mud…. The Great Mystery took the mud, and the mud began to roll, and as the mud began to roll, the mud began to grow, the waters were separated and dry land appeared! The Great Mystery said to the people, “Those of you who want to stay and swim in the water, may do so…. Those of you who want to fly in the sky, may do so….Those of you who want to walk upon the ground, you may do so”… And so it was, and so it is…. The Great Mystery said to Grandmother Turtle, “Grandma, Grandma, there is a certain balance to creation, this is what the balance is, every time there is a day, there is a night, it balances out. Every time there is a winter there is a summer, it balances out, every time there is a sorrow, there is joy! It balances out…. So now Grandmother,” said the Mystery, “It is time to balance out what you have done!” “I am ready,” said Grandmother Turtle…. And so, the Great Mystery took this earth, and placed it on Grandmother’s Turtle back. So as it is even today, Grandmother Turtle’s responsibility to carry this earth wherever she goes…… So the next time you see Grandmother Turtle, and she is crawling down by the water, or she is crawling under the rocks, or under the porch, remember what she did for us, and that we are to respect her. So, do not go over and pick her up and shake her, or turn her over on her back, just to watch her kick and smother for air, But, we are to let her go to wherever it is that she is going…… And in case we forget this thing, we are reminded when we look at her shell, and we see that it is cracked from the weight of the world she carries….. So that the next time you feel the earth shake, the next time you feel the earth tremor, you need not be afraid! For this is Grandmother Turtle shifting positions!!!!! Told By: ShaunaSay WhiteFeather Cherokee Legend Keeper/StoryTeller
Posted on: Fri, 21 Mar 2014 20:52:26 +0000
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