For the Iroquois the Earth exists in a medium somewhere between a world above and a world below. In the sky world lived a man named "The Sky Holder," who was responsible for the Great Tree of Light, and was married to "The Sky Woman."

Some stories say that Sky woman wanted to uproot the tree, while others say that it was The Sky Holder who asked her to do this, but the story goes that Sky Woman had uprooted the Great Tree of Light, and fell into the hole the uprooted tree created, falling into a "dark world below which was the Earth." The Earth was at this time covered with water, but it did have plant and animal life, and the animals of the Earth decided to save Sky Woman from the falling, placing her on the back of a large snapping turtle, which would become Turtle Island as the animals brought mud to the turtle's back and Sky Woman treaded the mud, making it into an island. While she walked seeds fell from her clothing, and the Earth became fresh with life.

Sky woman gave birth to a daughter, who had many suitors "from the male beings who could transform themselves into human form." Sky Woman's daughter chose a "turtle-being" and together they would have twins. Sky Woman's daughter, who would be known as Mother Earth, died during the birth of the second twin. Sky Woman buried the body of her daughter, Mother Earth, and from her came the Three Sisters, corn, beans, and squash, which would sustain the Iroquois people throughout time.