NameDate

THEWORLDONTHETURTLE’SBACKCOPYMASTER

ReadingStrategy

READINGFOLKLITERATURE

Folkliteratureincludesfolktales,creationmyths,myths,fables,andlegendspasseddown orallyfromonegenerationto thenext.Asyouread“TheWorldon theTurtle’s Back,” usethe followingstrategiestohelpyouunderstandthemyth’smessageandthecultureitcomesfrom.

• Readthemythaloud,orimagineastoryteller’svoiceasyouread.

• Notethemysteriesofnatureanddetails aboutcreationthatthemythexplains.

• Makeinferencesaboutthesocialvaluesorcustomstaughtthroughthecharactersand situations.

• LookfordetailsthatrevealotheraspectsoftheIroquoisculture.

Directions: Inthechart,recordyournotesandobservationsaboutthethreekindsof informationyoufindinthismyth.Onedetailhasbeenrecordedforyou.

DetailsaboutCreation/Nature / SocialValuesorCustoms / OtherCultural Details
BeforetheEarthwascreated, humansandanimals“ofthe kindthatarearoundusnow” didnotexist.

ResourceManagerUnit1 29

AmericanLiterature

AnswerKey

Reading Strategy

p.29

Responseswillvary.Possibleanswersareprovided.

Column 1

The Earth grew when a woman from the

Sky-World walked in a circle around dirt brought up from the ocean floor and placed on a turtle’s back.

The woman who fell from the sky had roots from the GreatTree.After the twins buried their mother, plants grew from her head and

heart.This is how we have plants such as corn, beans, and squash.

Column 2

The woman took some earth and placed it on

the turtle’s back. She walked in a circle around it, moving in the direction of the sun.This is why the Iroquois, in their dance ritual, move in the direction of the sun.

The man places two arrows—one sharp,

one blunt—across the body of the woman’s daughter.This signifies that she is going

to have twins.Also, these are the tools the

Iroquois use to hunt.

The twins battled each other in a game of lacrosse, a game of NativeAmerican origin.

Column 3

The twins create balance in the world.The

right-handed twin creates plant-eating animals;

the left-handed twin creates carnivorous

animals.The population of plant-eating animals is kept under control by the carnivorous

animals.The population of the meat-eating animals is also controlled: if they eat too many animals, they will run out of meat and starve to death.

Plants important to the Iroquois grew from the grave of the twins’mother. Corn, beans, and squash grew from her head; tobacco grew from her heart.

Tobacco was used for years in NativeAmerican ceremonies.