How the World Was Made (A Native American Legend)

Long ago, there was nothing in the world but water. There was no land. Many ducks swam on the water.

One day, the ducks saw a woman falling from the sky. They wanted to help her. Together, they carried her gently down to the water.

The ducks gave the woman food. They dived to the bottom of the water and brought food up for her. This was hard work, so they asked the turtle to help.

The turtle agreed. He slowly rose to the surface of the water. A small part of his back appeared above the water. The ducks brought mud from the bottom and put it on the turtle's back.

The mud grew bigger and bigger. Finally, it was dry and strong. The woman could live on it and find food herself.

After some time, the woman had two sons. The boys played on the land. Every day, they ran to the edge of the water. Each day, the land grew bigger, so they had to run farther. At last, the land was so large that it became a world for people to live in.