In the beginning, when the world was still new and unshaped, there was only the Sky World above and the endless waters below. In that celestial realm grew a magnificent tree, called the Sky Tree, the source of life itself. Its branches shimmered with fruit of every kind, apples, berries, and gourds, ripening in colours that glowed like the dawn. It was said that the Sky Tree nourished all living beings in the heavens, and its roots drank deeply from the sacred waters of the upper world.
Among those who lived in the Sky World was a wise and gentle chief, beloved by all, and his kind-hearted wife, Aataentsic. The people lived in peace beneath the spreading branches of the Sky Tree, but one day the chief fell gravely ill. His spirit weakened, and his strength faded like the setting sun. Aataentsic, desperate to save her husband, prayed to the Great Spirit for a sign. That night, she dreamed that the Sky Tree must be cut down so that her husband might be healed. Dreams, to the Iroquois, were sacred messages, not to be ignored.
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When she awoke, she told her husband and the elders what she had seen. The people were sorrowful, for the Sky Tree was holy. Yet they trusted the truth of visions, and Aataentsic took her husband’s stone axe, approaching the great tree with reverence. As she struck its trunk, the Sky Tree split open with a deep, sorrowful sound, and through the cleft she glimpsed a vast hole beneath, where clouds swirled like smoke over the unknown waters below.
The tree began to fall, and as it did, its roots tore through the heavenly soil, creating a great opening in the Sky World. Aataentsic leaned forward to see, and in that instant, she lost her balance and fell through the hole, following the sacred tree as it descended into the endless depths.
Down she fell, through whirling winds and soft mists, clutching a handful of seeds from the Sky Tree. Below her lay nothing but an expanse of deep blue water, stretching forever. No land, no shore, no resting place, only the waters and the creatures that swam within them.
Among those creatures was Turtle, who looked up and saw the shining figure of Aataentsic falling from the sky. With a strong voice that carried across the waves, Turtle called out, “Come upon my back, Sky Woman! I will bear you safely.” Aataentsic drifted gently onto his broad shell, weary but unharmed. Around them gathered the creatures of the deep, Beaver, Otter, Loon, and Muskrat, wondering how they might help.
“The Sky Woman needs land,” Turtle said. “We must bring up earth from the bottom of the waters.”
The animals nodded and took turns diving into the dark depths. One by one they plunged beneath the waves, but none could reach the bottom. Beaver returned exhausted, Loon surfaced gasping, and Otter failed despite his strength. At last, Muskrat, the smallest of them all, spoke: “I will try.” The others watched in silence as the tiny creature dived into the cold darkness.
Long moments passed. The waters stilled. At last, Muskrat floated to the surface, lifeless, but clutching a small bit of mud in his paws. Turtle said, “His courage will not be forgotten.” Aataentsic took the mud and spread it gently across Turtle’s back. She blew upon it softly, and the mud began to grow and spread, forming the first land.
She then took the seeds from the Sky Tree and planted them upon this new earth. From them grew trees, grasses, and fruit, bringing colour and life to what had once been only water. The wind began to blow, the sun rose above the horizon, and Earth was born, Turtle Island, the home of all living beings.
Aataentsic became known as Sky Woman, the mother of all life upon the land. From her hands came the roots of every growing thing, and from her wisdom came the teachings of balance between earth, water, and sky. The people of the Iroquois remember her with honour, for she brought light and life where there was none.
Moral Lesson
The story of The Sky Tree teaches that life springs from sacrifice, unity, and courage. It reminds us that even the smallest creature, like Muskrat, holds great strength when acting with love and purpose, and that the harmony between sky, water, and earth sustains all creation.
Knowledge Check
1. Who is Aataentsic in “The Sky Tree” folktale?
Aataentsic, also called Sky Woman, is the chief’s wife who falls from the Sky World and helps create the earth.
2. What is the Sky Tree, and why is it important?
The Sky Tree is a sacred tree that gives life and sustenance; its fall leads to the creation of Earth.
3. What animal saves Aataentsic from drowning?
Turtle rises to the surface and offers his back for Aataentsic to rest upon.
4. Which animal succeeds in bringing up mud from the water’s depths?
Muskrat succeeds through determination and sacrifice, symbolising courage and humility.
5. What does “Turtle Island” represent in Iroquois mythology?
It represents the Earth itself, the land created upon Turtle’s back where all life began.
6. What moral lesson does this Iroquois folktale teach?
It teaches the values of cooperation, respect for nature, and the sacred balance of creation.
Source
Adapted from “The Sky Tree” in Indian Nature Myths by Julia Darrow Cowles, Project Gutenberg.
Cultural Origin: Iroquois Confederacy (Haudenosaunee peoples), Great Lakes Region, United States.
