Question

Why is the Great Tree not allowed to be damaged or cut? How is this similar/different to

Answer 1

Answer:

The Great Tree was not allowed to be damaged or cut for it is the source/ producer of various fruits and leaves and also is the intermediary between the divine and human aspects of the world.

This is similar to the tree in the Garden of Eden in that they both act as the link or threshold between God and man, and their mutilation or destruction will mean that the cord/ relationship between the two will be broken.

Explanation:

According to the myth in "The World on Turtle's Back", the Great Tree represents the major source of life for the people. It contains different kinds of fruits and was the main source of food for the people.

Likewise, the tree in the Garden of Eden in the Biblical book of Genesis also acts as the main tree, producing the fruit of good and evil. It was this very fruit that God warned Adam and Eve to stay away from.

And both trees were not allowed to be mutilated or cut down. They are the source of life, the intermediary between what is divine and human. And so, their mutilation will mean a broken relationship/ connection between God and man.