Page:Myths and Legends of British North America.djvu/30

 After a while one swan said, "What shall we do with her? We cannot swim about this way very long." The other said, "Let us ask Big Turtle. He will probably call a council. Then we shall know what to do."

They swam around to Big Turtle and asked him what to do with the woman on their backs. Big Turtle at once sent a runner with a moccasin to the animals, so they came at once for a great council. The council talked a long while. Then someone stood up and asked about the tree. He said perhaps divers might go down and get just a little earth from its roots, if they knew where it had sunk. Big Turtle said, "Yes. If we can get earth, perhaps we might make an island for this woman." So the swans took them all to the place where the tree had fallen in the waste of waters.

Big Turtle called for divers. First down went Otter, the best of them all. He sank at once out of sight. He was gone a long, long while. At last he came up, but he gasped and was dead. Then Muskrat was sent down. He also was gone a long, long while. Muskrat also died. Next Beaver was sent down to get earth from the roots of the tree. Beaver also was drowned. Many animals were drowned.

Big Turtle called, "Who will offer to go down for the earth?" No one offered himself, until at last Old Toad said she would try. All the animals laughed.