by Alan Nafzger & Lilly Tabbytite (Comanche)
There was a time when there was no earth, only water. When Coyote met the ducks, he was floating around on a small raft. They were the only remaining creatures. "There is no one else around," he explained. It's not healthy to be alone like this. You must bring me some earth so that I can put things right."
He moved his gaze to the red-headed mallard. "Try to bring up some earth by diving beneath this water." We'll use it to make a living."
The red-headed mallard took a dive. He stayed down for a long time but returned without bringing any earth with him.
Coyote moved his gaze to the pinto duck. "I sent the older one, but he couldn't get any earth." Now I'll give you a chance." "My brother, I was unable to obtain any," the pinto duck said after a long time.
"How about that?" "I was hoping you'd bring some."
Coyote then instructed a smaller, blue-feathered duck to dive. "If you don't bring any up, we won't have any land to live on." He dove down, but there was no earth to be found.
Coyote was at a loss for what to do.
The grebe then spoke up. "You should have asked me to go before you asked the others, my older brother." They are my superiors, but they are powerless to help." He went first and stayed down for a long time. When Coyote saw him, he asked, "What kind of luck did you have?"
"I brought some with me." He'd gotten some dirt between his webbed feet.
"There are always four trials to every undertaking," Coyote said. You have done it." Then he took the mud and declared, "I will turn this into earth." You will multiply in the ponds and streams where you can build your nests. Now I'm going to build this planet."
Coyote took the mud in his hand and began walking eastward. "I'll make it big so we have plenty of space." As he walked, he spread the mud around and created the earth. He traveled in this manner for a long time, heading west. "Now that we have this earth, there are some things that want to be here," he concluded.
They could hear a wolf howling.
"There's already one howling," Coyote said.
He pointed to the setting Sun and said, "Listen, there's another one out there now." The animal was a coyote. "That coyote has come to life through his own powers," Coyote explained. "He's fantastic."
They then went for a walk as a group. They noticed some shining objects on the plains. When they got a closer look, they realized these were medicine stones.
"This is the oldest part of the earth," Coyote said, picking up one of the buffalo-shaped stones. There will be stones like this all over the place. They are distinct beings."
They came across a person standing near a hill after traveling for a while.
"Look," Coyote said, "there's a human being." He is one of the Stars, but he is now down here on the ground. Let's go take a look at him."
When they got close, the star-person transformed into a plant. The plant in question was the tobacco plant. There were no other plants in the area at the time. It was the first time. "From now on, everyone will have this plant, take it in the spring and raise it," Coyote said. The stars above have come down in this manner. They will look after the people. Look after this plant. It will be your source of income. It can be used in dancing. Sing this song when you plant it in the spring: "Female comrade, the earth, where shall I plant it?"
Coyote then discovered that there was no grass. "This isn't going to work." He succeeded. "Let's make some hills, mountains, and trees." He created them all.
He noticed there were no fish in the creeks, so he added some.
This is how he began the whole thing.