NOTE: THIS IS NOT PART OF THE HANDBOOK BUT I THINK IT IS A GOOD THING TO SHARE ANYWAY
Here is a story (in English) that is often told at the New Year Celebrations in October.
The earth began as nothing but water and darkness, and all the animals were in Galúnlati, above the stone vault that makes up the sky. But we did not stay there.
Some say that we left because Galúnlati became so crowded that everyone needed more room, and they wanted to move. Others say that we were forced out.
Not knowing what was below the sky vault,
they were surprised to find all the world covered only in water. They clug to a tsiyu in the dark waters.
Not knowing what was beneath the water, they sent down the Water-beetle to explore.
Water-beetle -grandchild of the Doyi (beaver)- dove below the water and eventually came back with some mud from below.
That mud grew and grew, and finally it became the island that we call our homeland.
This island of earth where we live is suspended at its four corners from ropes that hang down from the sky, and legend has it that some day the ropes will break and the earth will sink back into the water.
Because it grew from mud, the new earth was very soft. Many of the birds flew down to explore the new land, but it was too wet for them to stay.
Finally Buzzard flew down, hoping it was dry, but the earth was still wet. Buzzard searched and searched, especially in the Cherokee country, and finally he became so tired that his wings flapped against the ground. His wings dug valleys where they hit the ground and turned up mountains where they pulled away, leaving the rugged country of the Cherokee.
Eventually the earth was dry and the animals moved onto it.
There still was no light, however, and so the animals set the sun passing from east to west just over their heads. With the sun so close, many of the animals were burned, giving the red crawfish its crimson color. The animals raised the sun again and again, until it was high enough that all could survive.
When the plants and animals first came to this land, Creator told each one where they should live.
Creator told them all to stay awak and listen to the teaching of how all were to live. They were told to stay awake for seven nights, as in the Cherokee medicine ceremony. The animals all stayed awake the first night, and many stayed awake the next few nights, but only the owl and the panther and a couple of others stayed awake all seven nights.
They were the only ones who heard all the words of the Creator.
They were given the ability to see at night and so to hunt at night when the others are asleep.
The same thing happened among the trees, and only the cedar, pine, spruce, holly and laurel stayed awake all seven nights, which is why they can stay green all year when the others lose their leaves.
