It has been a long-held belief in India, and other cultures that the Earth is suspended by an elephant which stands on the back of a tortoise. According to Iroquois oral history, Sky Woman fell down to the earth when it was covered with water. Various animals tried to swim to the bottom of the ocean to bring back earth to create land. Muskrat succeeded and placed the earth on the back of a turtle, which grew into the land known today as North America. In fact, according to many indigenous people, North America is known as Turtle Island.
