the story

The Great Father of the Indian Tribes watched the rain. He knew it would carry on raining until all the plains and forests were flooded.

He was the protector of all the animals and he would need to build a raft to save them from the waters.

He felled tall trees and bound them together for the raft. He upturned his great canoe to act as a roof to keep the rain off.

He gathered together all the animals. There was the Moose, the Great Grizzly Bear, the Buffalo and the Mountain Lion. There was the Alligator, the Wolf, the Possum and the Beaver too. Neither did he forget the Woodpecker, the Flying Squirrel, the Whooping Crane and even the Rattlesnake.

In those days all animals could talk, and when they were crammed onto that raft they certainly did. They moaned and groaned and complained of this, that and every other thing until the Great Father grew so, so tired.

The flood went on and on. The animals went on and on. The Great Father’s temper would stand no more.

He raised his hands and cried, “TALK NO MORE”.

And do you know, from that day to this, none of those animals or any other animals ever has.

Key Stage 2 Activities

Floods, Floods Everywhere

Look at the map and see some of the many places to have their own flood myths.

Maybe you can make up your own flood story featuring some people you know?

If Only They Could Talk

If your pet could talk what would it say to you?

The Ideal Home Exhibition

On a raft for so long all the animals would dream of their ideal home.

Can you draw it for them?

Let It Rain

If a flood was on its way and you had to make a raft what animals would you take on board and why?

Sink Or Float

Why not experiment to see what sinks and what floats? Then try to make a model raft.

You could get a friend to have a try too, or make a few from different materials. See which raft can hold the biggest load.

Didn’t It Rain

Didn’t It Rain is a North American gospel song about another great flood story – Noah’s Ark.

See lyric…

Now, didn’t it rain, chillun, God’s gonna ‘stroy this world with water,
Now didn’t it rain, my Lord,
Now didn’t it rain, rain rain.

Well, it rained forty days and it rained forty nights,
There wasn’t no land nowhere in sight,
God sent a raven to carry the news,
He histe his wings and away he flew,

Now, didn’t it rain, chillun, God’s gonna ‘stroy this world with water,
Now didn’t it rain, my Lord,
Now didn’t it rain, rain rain.

They knocked at the window and they knocked at the do’
They cried, ‘O Noah, please take me on board’
Noah cried, ‘You’re full of sin,
The Lord’s got the key and you can’t get in.’

Now, didn’t it rain, chillun, God’s gonna ‘stroy this world with water,
Now didn’t it rain, my Lord,
Now didn’t it rain, rain rain.

Well, it rained forty days ‘n forty nights without stoppin’
Noah was glad when the rain stopped a-droppin’.
God sent Noah a rainbow sign,
Says. ‘No more water, but fire next time.’

Now, didn’t it rain, chillun, God’s gonna ‘stroy this world with water,
Now didn’t it rain, my Lord,
Now didn’t it rain, rain rain.

Thanks to our page sponsors…