4) Maidu Myths

The following is a Maidu story of creation. It tells how the Creator made the land and its people.

Long ago, Turtle sat on a raft. He was floating on endless water. Suddenly, a bright light shone from the sky. It was the Creator. The Creator traveled through the sky and sat on the raft next to Turtle.

Turtle said, “I wish there was some land.” The Creator said, “Dive down to the bottom of the water. Get me some mud and I will make land.” Turtle said, “I can only dive so far. Then I float back to the top.” So the Creator tied a rock to Turtle’s arm to help him dive.

Turtle dove into the water. He stayed under the water for six years. When he came back up, he had mud in his claws.

The Creator took the mud and rolled it into a ball. He placed the ball on the raft. The ball of mud grew and grew until it became the Earth.

Then the Creator made the stars, oak trees, birds, and many kinds of animals. He also made man and woman.