ENGLISH LITERATURE (CBSE/UGC NET)

Detailed explanation-1: -In the creation stories of the Lenape and Iroquois people, the Earth is created as soil is piled on the back of a great sea turtle that continues to grow until it is carrying the entire world. Many indigenous tribes in North America refer to the continent as Turtle Island to this day.

Detailed explanation-2: -It was the Great Turtle, who had come up from the depths. They brought the Muskrat over to the Great Turtle and placed her paw against his back. To this day there are marks at the back of the Turtle’s shell which were made by Muskrat’s paw. The tiny bit of Earth fell on the back of the Turtle.

Detailed explanation-3: -How do the opening words of this story identify it as an origin myth? “Before this Earth existed” open up this myth and inform us right away that we are reading an origin myth. The whole point of an origin myth is to explain how the world came to be.

Detailed explanation-4: -The moral lessons of this story was to never give up on our determination and always have an open heart to the animals as they were to our ancestors.