30. The Creation of the Earth by Old-One.
(cont.)Now he asked the second woman to state what she wished to be. She answered, “I wish to be a woman and to bear children. I shall be good and virtuous. My descendants will be wise, peaceful, honest, truthful, and chaste.” The Chief was glad when he heard her speak thus, and said, “You have spoken well. Wisdom and virtue will eventually triumph over foolishness and evil. The process will be very long, however, and there will be much sorrow and misery meanwhile.”
Now the third woman was asked to choose her lot, and she answered, “I wish to be the earth upon which my sisters will live. They will love me, and draw their life from me. I will make everything fat and happy.” The Chief answered, “It is good. From you everything will grow. You will produce, nourish, and give rest. When people die, you will receive them on your breast and will cover them. Trees, plants, grass, flowers, gold, silver, and all that is good and beautiful, will spring from you. You will make your sisters children glad."
Now he asked the choice of the fourth woman, and she answered, “I wish to be fire, and will be in the grass, trees, and in all wood. I shall make people happy by giving them heat and comfort. When they are cold and miserable, they will seek me and obtain warmth and happiness. With my aid they will eat.” The Chief answered, “It is good. You will render assistance, and make your sisters’ children rejoice.”
Then he asked the fifth woman to speak, and she replied, “I wish to be water, and from me people will draw life and wisdom. Coming to me, they will be cleansed of filth and disease, and by seeking me constantly, they will become wise, and obtain knowledge, dentalia, and riches. I will assist all things on earth to maintain life.” The Chief answered, “Good, You will assist, and make glad your sisters’ children.”
Then he transformed them. The Earth fell backwards, spread out her legs, and rolled off from the cloud into the lake, where she took the form of the earth we live on. The Chief said, “My daughter, you will be as you have asked. Henceforth you will be the earth in the midst of the great lake, and people will live on you. They will call you their mother.” Water he transformed into the present water we see in the shape of lakes, pools, springs, and streams, and it began to run over the top of the earth. Fire he transformed into the present fire, or the heat of fire we see and feel when wood burns. He put the spirit of fire in all woods and plants. The remaining two women he placed on the earth, and, after endowing them with the power to bear offspring, he impregnated them. He told them, “You will be sisters, and from you all people will spring. Your children will be male and female, and your descendants will cover the earth. The offspring of Evil will be most numerous at first, but at last the children of Good will outnumber them. Good will prevail, and Evil finally disappear. Then I will collect all people, both dead and alive.
