This is as my grandfather told me:
A long time ago, all the animals lived in heaven with the Creator and the Thunderers–magical beings who ruled the sky. But heaven had become too crowded. So the Thunderers held a contest between all the animals, asking them each to display their talents. Those who could not contribute would be cast out of heaven.
Each animal took a turn, Spider displayed her wonderful webs, Wolf sang, Rabbit danced, and the Thunderers were impressed with it all.
Then came Water Beetle, the cousin of Water Spider.
Before the contest he had gone to every animal, begging them to teach him something to prove his worth. He could swim like Frog, but he was not as fast a swimmer. He could dive like Duck, but he could only carry tiny things to the surface. The only thing he could say he was best at was holding his breath for a very long time.
When it came to be his turn, the Thunderers found his skills lacking. He was sent down to Earth.
At this time, the Earth was not as we know it today. It was only water, as far as the eye could see. Water Beetle swam about, looking for somewhere to rest, but found no land. He came to the conclusion he might have to swim below and find something that would help him.
Taking a breath, he dove down. And down. When he was almost out of breath, he swam back up. He had seen something in the depths of the water, but he would have to dive farther than he had ever gone. So, with a great gulp, he dove back down. And down. And down. And down. Finally, he found soft mud, but as he felt around in the dark he found nothing else.
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By this point, Vulture had been sent down to check on Water Beetle. Birds are the messengers of the Creator and Thunderers, and while Vulture had done it for so long his eyesight was poor, he was a still a strong flier and therefore one of the most trusted messengers.
He swooped low, looking for any sign of the small creature, though all he saw was water.
He flew for a long time before he spotted a small shape in the distance. There, floating on top of the water was Water Beetle, dead.
As Vulture got closer, he saw something in his small hand. He gave a strong flap of his wings and as he did, the mud that Water Beetle had brought with him to the surface spread out under the force of the gust, creating land. Surprised by this sudden occurrence, Vulture turned sharply, carving into the still soft earth and creating the valleys and mountains we know today. Quickly, he flew back to Heaven to report all this to the Thunderers.
The Thunderers were shocked and saddened by this development. They mourned Water Beetle, whose talent they had seen as useless and had saved them by finding them all a new home.
In his honor, they asked the Sun to dance across the sky every day to celebrate his sacrifice. Sun did so gladly, and her warmth caused the mud to heat and harden, allowing the animals to come down from heaven and spread across the land.
Then, to ensure the safety of her cousin's creation, Spider hung the land from the four cardinal directions.
And that, is how the Earth came to be.
