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So the story goes... a beautiful Indian maiden stood by the waters edge, shaking with fear. Turtles, curious about her appearance swam over and asked of her peril. She explained that she was being chased by an evil spirit and the water had stopped her escape. The peace loving turtles suggested she step on their backs and they would take her to a safe shore. The turtles took her across the water and in appreciation, the maiden took off her beaded necklace and placed it around the neck of one of the turtles. She left promising to return some day.
When the evil spirit arrived, he saw the maidens beaded necklace on the turtle and knew that she had escaped his grasp by the efforts of the turtles. In his anger, he raised his hand and placed a spell on the turtles, turning them into stone. Turtles, the the very symbol of life, were themselves left lifeless.
Some days later, the maiden returned only to find that the turtles at the waters edge were cast into motionless stone. She picked one up and for a very long time she sat by the water and caressed and rubbed the stone as tears fell. She rubbed the stone so much that it became as smooth as the water without wind. She worked the stone into a necklace which she wore near her heart. The stones came to be called “turtlebacks” and are still often found on the shorelines of Northern Michigan. Their beautiful patterns glistening with the laps of the waves.© |
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