Before the Spaniards came, before cities or ships, the Taino people of the Caribbean told of a time when the sky and the sea were brothers, and all creatures spoke with one voice.
High above the mountains lived Guarico, the great eagle, lord of the air. Below, in the cool rivers, lived Iwana the Turtle, patient and wise. Every day, Guarico soared past and called down, “Come to the clouds! The view is grand!”
Iwana smiled. “The clouds are yours, brother. The river is mine. Each must love his home.”
But Guarico’s pride grew. “If you never try to rise, you’ll never see the sun’s real face,” he taunted.
One morning, as the dawn poured gold across the sea, Guarico swooped down. “Climb on my back! Today you will see what I see.”
Iwana hesitated but agreed, trusting her friend. She gripped his feathers, and they lifted into the wind. The air thinned, the sea shrank to a blue shell.
“It’s beautiful!” cried Iwana.
“Now you understand,” said Guarico proudly.
But when the wind changed, a storm rose from the east. The eagle fought the gale, wings trembling. “Hold tight!” he shouted.
Lightning flashed. Iwana’s grip slipped. She fell, tumbling through rain and cloud, straight toward the sea.
The storm broke. The eagle dove after her, but the rain blinded him. He searched the waves until his wings bled. When he found her, she floated motionless on her shell.
Guarico carried her to shore, weeping. “I wanted to share the sky, not take you from your world.”
Iwana stirred and smiled weakly. “Brother, I saw enough. The sky is beautiful, but so is home. Do not grieve.”
She healed slowly. When she could swim again, she said, “Let us make a promise: you will guard the sea from above, and I will guard the land from below. We will keep the balance between wind and wave.”
And so it has been since. When the eagle cries over the ocean, it is said he’s reminding the waves of their promise. And when turtles lift their heads to breathe, they look up to thank him for keeping watch.
Moral of the Story
True friendship respects difference. The sky needs the sea, and pride must bow to patience.
Knowledge Check
- Who were the main characters?
Guarico the eagle and Iwana the turtle. - What did the eagle want the turtle to see?
The beauty of the sky and the sun’s face. - What caused their fall?
A storm and the eagle’s pride. - How did their friendship survive?
Through forgiveness and a shared promise to protect balance. - What natural symbols came from this story?
The eagle guarding the waves, the turtle surfacing to breathe. - What is the central message?
Respect each other’s world; unity comes through balance.
Origin: Taino Folklore (Caribbean Indigenous Peoples)
