A Native American themed one. Obviously not true, but still fun.
Animals and humans could once talk to one another, and lived together peacefully on the Great Continent, the only land on the World, it was vast and spread for many lopes. The Ocean covered the rest of the World. Animals and Humans could do so because of the two great gifts bestowed upon them by the Sky Spirit: Animal-Speak, and Human-Speak. Now, humans and animals are not so very different creatures, but they converse in different ways, and thus, both needed their separate gifts of Speech. Each was kept in a single chest made out of a mighty oak, latched shut tightly with a twine rope wound around the entire chest. It was kept at the bottom of the Ocean, by the gigantic land pillar that held the Great Continent aloft, and guarded by all the creatures who lived in the Ocean.
Now, Water Snake tried once to steal the gifts of Speech from the mighty chest at the bottom of the sea, but failed. As a punishment from the Sky Spirit, Water Snake's gift of Speech was revoked, and Water Snake became a miserable, wretched creature; the only one who couldn't speak. He tried to contact his brother, Land Snake, and convince him to steal a piece of Speech and give it to Sea Snake(communicating telepathically), but Land Snake refused, fearing retribution from the Sky Spirit. And not a single one of the other animals dared question the Sky Spirit. One day, the Penguin went to the top of the mountain to request Water Snake be given the gift of speech again.
"Lord," she said, flapping to stay aloft(even though Penguin was prided herself on being the best flier in the animal kingdom, staying at the top of the mountain was difficult for even her), "Water Snake has suffered for many passing moons. Should we not offer him forgiveness, and give him his Speech again?" but this served only to anger the Sky Spirit, and it took away Penguin's gift of Flight. She plummeted to the ground, injuring her legs as well. And to this day, Penguins cannot fly, and they must waddle, as their flippers were injured when the first Penguin fell.
Next, Cougar wanted to try. He was very good at climbing, and managed to scale up to the top of the mountain, his thick, mighty mane keeping him warm.
"Lord!" roared Cougar. "Penguin and Water Snake have suffered enough. Should we not let them go and forgive them for their mistakes?" But, as before, this served only to anger the Sky Spirit, and it took away Cougar's great gift of his Mane. On the way down the mountain, Cougar got far too cold without his mane to keep him warm, and had to stay on the mountain. To this day, Cougars don't have manes, and they enjoy living on high ground.
Finally, King Lion called a meeting between animals and humans.
"I think the Sky Spirit might be acting unfairly," Lion said unhappily.
"So what can we do?" demanded a Human.
"We can rebel," replied King Lion.
King Lion, the Human, and all living things gathered at the bottom of the ocean. Manta-Ray had made them a giant bubble, so they could breathe, and took them there on his back. They reached the pillar, and next to it, the chest. King Lion slashed the twine ropes easily with his claw, and opened the chest. Suddenly, the gift of Speech came rushing out of the chest, whooshing through the ocean, leaving a jetstream in its wake. The pure speed rocked the pillar, and it began to crack, threatening to topple onto the creatures. But the Sky Spirit saw them. Unhappy as Sky Spirit was with its servants, it didn't want them not to be able to speak forever. So it caught the gifts of speech. But the gift of Animal Speak rushed out into the sea, never to be found again. The pillar crumbled, and cracked. The Great Continent spread into seven continents, and the animals and humans both learned their lesson. Never question your elders.
