When he arrived at his lodge, Teharonhia:wako thought it would be nice if he created an orb which could light up the whole earth. He went to visit the home of He Who Holds Up The Earth, the Great Turtle Man, his father. After they greeted one another, he said to him, “I want to make an orb of light that will forever give light to the earth. How do you think it could be done?”
The Great Turtle Man, upon hearing the proposal, said to him, “It is time that I tell you something.”
He then explained, “Near the place where you grandmother came from, she has a brother who watches and waits to see if she remembers him. You should go to him and assign him the duty of giving daylight to the earth. At one time, your grandmother’s brother has said he would be remembered by shaking the earth. Before his sister left the Sky World, he had told her that he would one day go to the place where she had fallen and search for her, Therefore, I think that you should invite your great-uncle to come here. He will then watch over the things that you create and assist you with your grandmother who has been against you.”
He continued to tell Teharonhia:wako, “There is a way that you can find him. You must take the red willow plant that you have planted and cut off the shoots that have sprouted from it. This should be done two at a time. Take one of the sprouts and scrape off the bark. Then steep it for medicine by cooking it in water. Scrape the bark from the other shoot and cast it into the fire. When that is done and the smoke starts to rise, cast yourself into the smoke. This is the way that you shall meet him. He will be about half-way up. Tell him what you want from him. He will be able to give you what you need because he is very powerful.”
After Teharonhia:wako had arrived back at his lodge, he kindled a fire. He then went out in search of the red willow bark. When he had found some, he cut off two shoots and took them back with him. He scraped the bark from one shoot and made the medicine. He then took it as an emetic by boiling and drinking it. He scraped off the bark of the other shoot and threw in into the fire. As the smoke from it rose into the air, he leaped into the fire as he was asked to do. He then began to rise with the smoke.
He had not gone very far when he saw a ‘man being’ approaching him. The man being spoke to him saying, “We have finally met, my Great-nephew. How can I help you?”
Teharonhia:wako replied, “I need you to help me with something. I have completed all the things on earth in their various forms, but I need something that will give more light than the sunflower. It should give as great a light as possible because the earth has become very large, and there are now two floating islands that must be lit up. In fact, one day I may even add to the earth so that there will be four main floating islands instead of two. In that way the creatures that I create will spread all over, and there will be different ones living in different places. Therefore, I will need something bright so that it could give daylight to the whole world below.”
He further explained, “I have been sent by Earth Grasper to ask you if you could help me in this task.”
The man being replied, “It has been a long time that I have waited for someone to remember me. During that time, I have watched all that has happened to you on the earth. I will be willing to help take this problem off your shoulders and will do whatever you ask of me. I will attach myself on the underside of the Sky World, and I will begin at a certain place over the middle of the earth each day, beginning in the east and ending in the west. This I will continue to do as long as the earth below continues to exist. I will always take care of those things that you have created by keeping the earth below warm.”
Teharonhia:wako replied, “Now that this has been taken care of, the sunflower will continue to grow as a reminder of your approaching daylight.”
The man being answered, “I have waited a long time for my sister who happens to be your grandmother to remember me. It will be up to you to decide what to do with your brother who beheaded your mother. He head still lies where your grandmother lives. I would like to make a request that you assign your mother’s head a duty that would give her movement and life once again. In this way, she and I could aid one another. Your brother is very worrisome to me as he will continue to try in every way to make a mockery of everything you have created. You did the right thing in separating yourself from him, as this will cause him difficulties in what he is attempting to do. It is known that he will try to destroy you and take over the creation.”
Teharonhia:wako answered him, “Perhaps it is time that we settle this matter once and for all. Do not attach your body to the sky until I tell you to do so. Only then will it do the earth any good. Those below will know the time when you will use the power that is within your name.”
The man being replied, “That is why they will also know me as He Who Shakes the Earth. When the time comes when the world approaches its end, the people will feel the earth shake, and they will then call out my name. For my power above will influence what happens below.”
Teharonhia:wako then said, “From now on, as you rise above this very place where we have met, the midpoint in your path, you will rest for a while and then continue on your journey.” He continued to say, “During that time, the onkwe honwe who will inhabit the world will direct their thoughts at you. You will be able to answer them in a positive manner as you will have had time to reflect on their thoughts. The onkwe honwe living on the earth will always look at you and refer to you as their Elder Brother. This will be the way it will always be as long as the earth continues to exist. In much the same way, the onkwe honwe will refer to the first one to set herself below on this earth as your younger sister.”
“Finally, it is time for us to separate. Tomorrow you will come for the first time over the horizon and cause daylight and bring brightness and warmth to the earth,” said Teharonhia:wako.
They then separated and Teharonhia:wako floated down the earth below.
When Teharonhia:wako returned to his lodge, he said to himself, “Now it is time for me to make the onkwe honwe who will inhabit this floating island.”
It was not too long after this that he began to create the bodies of the onkwe honwe. He took up some red earth from his mother’s body and said aloud, “This earth which I have taken is alive with the spirit of my mother’s body, and so I will form an onkwe honwe from it. When the human body passes from this earth, the body will return to my mother’s body and regenerate new life from it.”
He then molded the flesh of the onkwe honwe from the earth, saying to himself, “It would be a good thing if the onkwe honwe has life, just as I have.”
He then took a portion of his own essence and placed it inside the onkwe honwe’s body. Then, he took a portion of his mind and enclosed it in the head of the onkwe honwe. Next, he took a portion of his blood and put it inside the onkwe honwe’s flesh. Next, he took a portion of his sight and put it into the onkwe honwe’s throat. Last of all, he blew his breath into the onkwe honwe; then the onkwe honwe came alive and stood up for the first time on earth.
Teharonhia:wako said to himself, “Last of all, I have completed the onkwe honwe who will now stand upon this earth. I have finished completing everything I had set out to do. I have made myself creator over all that the earth contains, and I will continue to give comfort to those that live on it whenever it is needed. I have planted the onkwe honwe on earth to dwell so that he may beautify my creation by cultivating it.”
At that moment, the Elder Brother came over the horizon and caused it to be daylight, and at the same time he warmed the earth. It was beautiful daylight with beautiful light rays shining on everything in the creation.
Teharonhia:wako yelled to his creation, “Look at the orb of light coming over the horizon causing it to be daylight. This will forever result in pleasure for you all, in that it will warm the days as well as the nights to come. As a result, all the things on the earth-plants, animals, onkwe honwe-will continue to live in comfort. You will be able to travel everywhere on the earth as long as your Elder Brother causes it to be daylight. When the daylight ends, darkness will then occur and at that time you will rest. I have completed that which shall continue into the future, as long as the earth continues to exist.”
During that time, Sawiskera and his grandmother became aware of what was happening as they saw the daylight appear over the horizon.
Sawiskera said to her, “I am going at once to where my brother lives to see why this most astounding thing has just occurred.”
When he arrived at the shore of his island, he saw that the other floating island was very far off and only slightly visible to see. He said to himself, “I will make a canoe to cross the water.”
So he began to search for something he could cross the water with. He knew that even though his power to freeze was limited, he still had enough to create a white stone canoe (ice bridge). With the help of the night, he would be able to cross the water to the other side. That night he completed his white stone canoe made from ice. As the earth became colder with the setting sun, he walked across the ice bridge to the other side. Once there, he disembarked and in front of him appeared an onkwe honwe, the first he had ever seen.
