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The World On The Turtle's Back Myths

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Myths have existed throughout all of human history, explaining how we came to be, why we exist, and how our actions exist to teach lessons. Both myths, “The Story of Corn and Medicine” and “The World on the Turtle’s Back”, explain that humans will make good and bad choices, but these experiences will teach lessons about evil and the choices we must make to change our ways, and to expand our knowledge and advance the world.

The first lesson taught but the myths is evil and greed have inherited the earth, and will continue to if humans do not change their actions. The World on the Turtle’s Back uses the wife to explain the root of greed in the world. She “decided that she wanted some bark from one of the roots of the Great Tree” and her husband did not like the idea, “but she insisted” and “was filled with curiosity” (Iroquois). …show more content…

If the wife in The World on the Turtle’s Back had not insisted on knowing what was beneath the tree, the world would never have existed, and we would not have learned the lesson of controlling our greed inside of us. The twins, as stated, “made a balanced and orderly world” but what would have happened if they had not existed? (Iroquois ). We would not have learned the consequences of our evil actions, and we could be living in a world of greed and selfish desires. In “The Story of Corn and Medicine”, there was a domino effect of actions that taught a vital lesson. If the boys had not let the animals escape from the cave, then we would not have had to learn to establish a harmony with the animals: “In these early days, the plants, the animals, and the people all lived together as friends” (Cherokee 8). If the harmony between man and animal wasn’t present, then the further generations would not have learned to pray “for pardon for his affront” for the killing for the humans gain (Cherokee

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