Sacred Texts Native American Southeast Index Previous Next
(Tuggle collection)
When there was a great flood all the animals were put in the ark, except the male opossum. A female opossum climbed up on the side of the ark and when the waters rose, her tail hung down into the water. When the waters subsided it was found that all the hair on her tail had come off and ever since then the opossum's tail has been without hair.
All of the male opossums were drowned, so this female went off alone feeling ashamed, and coiled herself up as if dead. Her nose was near her side, and after breathing a long time in this position little opossums appeared in her pouch, and thus the young opossums have been born ever since.