SEMINOLE INDIAN LEGENDS

The Seminole Indians are a primitive race who still live in the
Everglades of south Florida. Animals and the elements play a large part
in their lives. Many of their necessities are obtained from animals. Out
of this need, many legends have originated which even today are
important to the Indians. They are a people who enjoy the out-of-doors
and at their ceremonial festivities they gather around the campfire to
listen to the old men tell strange tales about the elements and ages, long
past, when supernatural animals roamed through the jungle-like forests.


IN THE BEGINNING

One legend gives an interpretation of creation. Ages ago there
was no earth, only water everywhere, and no moving object except in the
water. All the moving things wanted to find earth so, in their search,
they went deeper into the water. But their hunt was fruitless until a large
crawfish, after long searching, finally found a tiny bit of earth. He told
the other crawfish and they dove deeper and deeper into the water, each
bringing a bit to the surface. With this earth they formed a small ball.
Every day they brought up more earth and added to the ball until they
had a large one. Then they did not know what to do with it.