Sacred Texts  Native American  Southeast  Index  Previous  Next 

35. HOW THE TERRAPIN'S BACK CAME TO BE IN CHECKS (53)

(Tuggle collection)

A woman was beating sofki in a mortar out in her yard when she heard someone calling to her and making fun of her. She stopped and looked around, but saw no one. She began beating the corn again, and again heard the voice ridiculing her. She stopped and searched but in vain. Again she heard the voice, which seemed to come from under the wooden mortar, so she lifted the mortar and there found a Terrapin. As he was the guilty one, she took the pestle and beat him on the back until she broke his shell into little pieces and left him as dead. After she left, the Terrapin began to sing in a faint voice:

The pieces came together as he sang, but his back always looked scarred, and terrapins have ever since then had checkered backs.