The Origin of All Things

In the beginning, the earth was barren and empty. Then, from the sky, a great basket descended. It landed, and the lid opened. Out came the first man, the first woman, and all the animals, big and small. They lived together in peace. There was no death. After some time, the people prayed to the creator god, Chiuta, for a way to have eternal life. Chiuta sent two messengers. He sent the slow, deliberate Chameleon with the message of life: "You will shed your skin and live forever." He sent the fast, skittish Lizard with a message of death: "You will die and remain in the ground." The Lizard, being much faster, arrived first and delivered his message. Soon after, the Chameleon arrived with the good news, but it was too late. The people had accepted the word of the Lizard, and so death entered the world. This foundational myth explains the creation of life and the origin of mortality, attributing it to a race between two animal messengers.