Transcription
Chapter 1: The Rainbow Serpent
One day, the beautiful snake awoke from her long sleep underground. She was the Rainbow Serpent.
The Rainbow Serpent pushed her way up from deep underground to the Earth's surface and went looking for her tribe. She traveled for a very long time, and as she traveled, her enormous body left deep tracks. Her body formed deep valleys, tall mountains, and riverbeds. She searched and searched for her tribe, shaping the Earth as she moved.
At last, she was tired from her travels and curled up to sleep. When she woke up, she returned to the place where she had first emerged from the earth. The Rainbow Serpent called out to the frogs, "Come frogs, come!" she called.
Slowly, slowly, the frogs emerged from the underground. The frogs moved slowly because they carried so much water in their bellies. The Rainbow Serpent tickled the frogs' bellies, and when the frogs opened their mouths to laugh, outpoured the water. The water filled the tracks that the rainbow snake had left behind, creating Earth's rivers and lakes.
When the rivers and lakes were filled with water, plants began to grow. Trees, bushes, and grasses covered the earth. Once the Earth was lush and green, all of the animals began to wake up from their sleep and emerge and follow the Rainbow Serpent. The animals lived in the rocks, plains, trees, and air, and for a long time, they were all very happy together.
The Rainbow Serpent made rules for the animals to follow, but some animals started to cause trouble for everyone. "Those who follow my rules," said the Rainbow Serpent, "will be rewarded. I will give them human form. Those who do not obey will be punished and turned to stone."
Even after her warnings, many animals continued not following the rules and became the Earth's mountains and hills. The animals that closely followed the rules became humans and were given the totems of the animals they once were: kangaroo, koala, emu, and many, many more. These became their tribes.
The story is taken from bigartworld.org.