Sky Woman quickly tried to keep her balance and pull herself back up through the hole.  As she struggled to find a grasp she was only able to pull more of the plants that grew around the base of the tree.  She continued to fall, now completely through the hole.  She fell deeper into the blackness of outer space.  She continued to fall deeper into the blackness…and fall deeper …and fall deeper… and fall deeper…and fall…and fall …and fall…and …and…and…

She continued to fall further and further from the Sky World.  The blackness of outer space ever so slowly began to be farther and farther behind her…

…As she continued to tumble something else, also far, far off in the distance, (however this time in front of her) was starting to take form.  The sky was no longer complete emptiness.  Something was starting to appear.  She was heading to something closer and closer and even closer.  Sky Woman tumbled and tumbled and tumbled toward a place that we now know as the earth. 

She was very afraid; she didn’t know what was about to happen.  She finally caught her breath enough and began to yell for help.  

“HEEEELP!”   

HEEEELP!  

HEEEELP!  

She continued to fall from the Sky World and kept heading toward earth.  

On the planet far below lived many forms of winged creatures.  They were busy with their everyday duties when they heard the cries coming from high above where they were flying. Although some storytellers firmly believe they were the winged brothers and sisters called the geese, others say this also included the other birds that lived during the time of creation, quickly agreed to help the being which was headed straight toward them.  They flew up to where the woman was falling.  They offered to bring her to the water on their wings in order to save her life and break her fall.

When the birds arrived back on the water with the strange guest on their backs, they soon realized that there would be a different concern.  The entire surface of the water would be an obstacle, as there was nothing but water everywhere.  If they let go of the woman, she would surely drown.  They paused not knowing what to do.  They asked all the other creatures for suggestions.

Borrowed from Elizabeth Doxstater, Mohawk storyteller and revised by Sakoieta’ Wakathahahión:ni, Mohawk – Wolf Clan Knowledge Keeper