In times long past the Great Spirit wandered around
but found nothing: no sights, no sounds, no beauty or
color. He decided to fill the world with light so he
could see; he decided to give the world life so there
would be something to look at.
He called for the Great Turtle to become land, and he
shaped hills and valleys on the Turtle’s back. Over
the Turtle he put blue sky and clouds. Then he
thought that the world was ready for life. But what
kind of life? What would living things do? He
considered long and hard until he fell asleep from
exhaustion.
In his sleep he dreamed of plants, of creatures that
flew or swam or crawled, of two and four leggeds.
When he woke he saw that everything he had dreamt of
had come true. The world was now real, land and sky
and water now teamed with life.
The Great Spirit did not like what he saw! It all
seemed imperfect.
But then he watched a beaver swim to a branch, nibble
it off, and carry it over to the place where he was
making his home. The Great Spirit thought, “This
beaver has his pond, his home, his work to do. This
beaver has his purpose. And so does everything else in
the world.” Then the Great Spirit was pleased and let
the living things stay.
(This story teaches the Abinake about how the world
began and how it works now. It also teaches them that
no one must doubt his dreams.)