Beetle and Vulture Create the Earth
When the Earth was still water, all the animals lived with the Thunderers (great beings of the sky) in heaven. It had been that way since anyone could remember, but as time went on, they realized they were running out of room in heaven. To solve the problem of overcrowding, the Thunderers decided to hold a contest, asking all the animals and insects to show their talents.
First went Wolf, who sang; then Rabbit, who danced; and Spider, who wove beautiful tapestries of web. And so it went until finally it was Water Beetle’s turn.
Days before, he went to his cousin, Water Spider, and asked if she could teach him to weave.
“Why not show off your talent?” Water Spider asked.
“No one wants to watch me hold my breath,” Water Beetle mumbled. “At least Bear is strong and you weave your webs. My skill isn’t very useful.”
Water Spider tutted at him, but hugged him close. “Everyone has a special skill–it’s all a matter of finding a use for it.”
And so Water Beetle stood in front of the Thunderers and held his breath for a very, very long time.
But the Thunderers were not as impressed as Water Spider and Water Beetle was cast out of heaven.
When Water Beetle finally made it down to Earth, he realized how dark and endless the place was. He swam for miles, finding no land or light.
Realizing he had to find somewhere to rest if he was going to survive, Water Beetle took a great gulp of air and dove down, trying to see if he could find anything there instead. He swam for hours and just when he thought he saw something, he realized he would have to swim back up then if he was going to have enough air to make it back to the surface.
He swam back, but this time was determined to reach the bottom he thought he saw. With a great gulp of air, bigger than he had ever taken, he splashed back down into the depths, swimming harder than he ever had before.
He swam and swam. He held his breath for so long he felt his head get cloudy, but he kept going, reaching a hand out to grab at the bottom.
Days later, the Thunderers sent Grandfather Vulture out to check on Water Beetle. All birds are messengers of the Creator, though Grandfather Vulture had been in service the longest. While his eyesight had become poor, he was the strongest flier of all the birds, and could cover more distance than any other.
He flew over the water in gentle circles, searching for any sign of Water Beetle, hoping that maybe the bug had survived. He flew for a long time, until finally he spotted a small speck in the distance.
Grandfather Vulture flew low in order to get a better look, and realized with shock what it was. Floating atop the water and resting was Water Beatle. The creature was taking great gulps of air, like he’d been holding it for too long and needed fresh air. In his hand, he grasped something tight.
As he flew closer for a better look, Vulture gave a great flap of his wings. Unbeknownst to Vulture, the force of the gust hit the soft, wet clay still grasped in Water Beetle’s hand. The force of it hit the mud and it spread out rapidly from his hands until Vulture lost sight of the insect.
With a squawk, Vulture gave another great flap, attempting to rise above the sudden appearance of land where they had been none. This time, the gust pushed the soft earth down, creating the valleys we see today. With a sharp bank, Vulture wheeled away, his powerful wings carving into the ground and creating the same mountains we see on the horizon.
Vulture flew as quick as he could back to heaven to inform the Thunderers of what had happened. When Vulture had finished his stories, the Thunderers then realized what Water Beetle had accomplished through a gift they had originally dismissed.
While they had thought his gift uninspiring and had no use among the flashier skills of the other animals and insects, he had found a new land for the animals in heaven. The talent they had deemed as useless had, in fact, saved them from having to sentence someone else to the same fate.
In remembrance of his deed, the Thunderers asked the Sun if she would dance across the sky every day in his honor. She agreed, and the heat from her body then baked the ground, making it available for all to walk upon.
Finally, as all the animals left heaven to live on Earth, Water Spider took the time to hang this creation from the four cardinal directions so it would not be lost to the waters again. As she reached the Earth and was greeted by her cousin already waiting for her at the bottom, she smiled kindly and told him: “I knew you were special.”