The Voice, The Flood, and The Turtle
There was once a chief whose wife gave birth to four remarkable children, which filled the tribe with fear and amazement. The elders cautioned, “These unusual children will bring great trouble. It would be better for the tribe if we ended their lives now.” However, their mother stood firm, declaring, “We will not harm them. In time, these children will turn out well.” Unfortunately, things did not unfold as she hoped. The small creatures grew rapidly, much faster than ordinary children, becoming very large. Each had four legs and four arms. They began to harm other children, overturn tepees, destroy buffalo robes, and spoil the people’s food supplies. A wise man, who could foresee events, advised, “Eliminate these strange creatures before they eliminate you.” Yet their mother insisted, “Never. They will become fine young men someday.” Instead of transforming into fine young men, the creatures began killing and eating people. By then, all the men in the village attempted to destroy them, but it was too late—the monsters had grown too big and powerful to defeat.
One day, these creatures stood back-to-back in the center of the camp, facing East, South, West, and North, their backs merging into a single entity. They continued growing, reaching toward the sky until their heads touched the clouds. Most villagers sought refuge near their feet, where the enormous beings couldn’t reach, but those who stayed farther away were seized by mile-long arms and killed or eaten. The man who could see into future events heard a voice guiding him: plant a hollow reed into the ground—it would grow quickly, reaching skyward soon enough. Heeding this advice carefully, the man asked what sign would indicate impending danger. “When every bird from the depths of the woods or the shores of the sea deserts the high mountains, forming a cloud flying northward south, that shall be your warning,” the voice replied solemnly, urging vigilance against such omens appearing overhead.
Indeed, one day came when he saw a vast cloud of birds moving southward across the skies above. Promptly, he climbed inside the hollow cane alongside his wife, bringing pairs of good animals with them, saving them all from certain doom below. Rain fell ceaselessly, covering the earth entirely, submerging everything except the topmost part of the cane and the monsters’ heads just barely visible above the waterline. Inside the sheltering reed, the couple heard the voice again, announcing a plan to send Turtle to destroy the monstrous threat once and for all, finally ending the reign of terror forevermore.
This retelling is shared in respect and recognition of the living traditions of the people to whom it belongs.
