A long time ago, there was a vast expanse of water instead of earth. The animals and trees lived on a level above the water. One
day, Wise Badger dived deep into the water to search for mud. Sadly, he could not swim for long and had to come back. The animals decided to send Brave Muskrat to get the mud. He dived into water and swam for a long time. He came up with a small amount of mud. The mud began to expand in every direction, creating an island. The animals waited for the island to dry. They sent Big Crow to keep watch on the island. In seven days, Big Crow returned and informed them that the island was dry and ready. The animals and trees moved onto the island and lived happily ever after. What is this type of creation story called?
This type of creation is Creation by Earth Divers. This myth is characterized by two important elements: water and animals. The water is present before the earth is created, then there is an animal who plunges or dives into the water to get a portion of Earth to build a land that can be habitable.
