Cinderella: from the First Nations of Canada

Cinderella: A Version of the Classic Tale from the First Nations of Canada

Illustrated By: Jacob Below

ON THE SHORES of a bay along the Atlantic coast in what is now Canada, there dwelt in old times a great First Nations warrior known for his wondrous deeds. He had a very wonderful and strange power - he could make himself invisible. In this way he could mingle unseen with his enemies and listen to their plots. He was known among the people as Strong Wind, the Invisible.

Strong Wind dwelt with his sister in a tent near the sea, and his sister helped him greatly in his work. Many maidens would have been glad to marry him, and he was much sought after because of his mighty deeds. It was known that Strong Wind would marry the first maiden who could see him as he came home at night. Many made the trial, but it was a long time before one succeeded.

Strong Wind used a clever trick to test the truthfulness of all who sought to win him. Each evening as the sun went down, his sister walked on the beach with any girl who wished to make the trial. His sister could always see Strong Wind, but no one else could because he made himself invisible to all but her.

Each evening as the sun went down, his sister walked on the beach with any girl who wished to make the trail.

As he came home from work, his sister would see him drawing near and would ask the girl who sought him, "Do you see him? Do you see my brother?" Each girl could not see him, but as she wanted to win the hand of Strong Wind, would falsely answer, "Yes." But the sister would continue questioning: "With what does he draw his sled?" Then each girl would think to herself, "Oh dear, I have no idea how to answer that question! But I may as well come up with an answer - who knows?  I could get lucky."  So they might answer, "With the hide of a moose," or "With a pole," or "With a great cord." And his sister would know that they all had lied, and their answers were mere guesses. All of these young women had failed the test, for her brother would refuse any life partner who was not truthful.

For her brother would refuse any life partner who was not truthful.

Now there lived in the village a great chief who had three daughters. Their mother had long been dead. One of these daughters was much younger than the others. She was very gentle and well beloved by all, and for that reason her older sisters were jealous of her charms and treated her cruelly. They clothed her in rags so she would look ugly, and they cut off her long black hair, and they burned her face with coals from the fire so that her skin would become scarred and disfigured.  They lied to their father, the chief, telling him that she had done these things to herself. Despite all this, the young girl kept her gentle heart and went about her work.

Like other maidens in the village, the chief's two eldest daughters wanted to marry Strong Wind. One evening as the sun went down, the oldest daughter walked on the shore with Strong Wind's sister and waited for his coming. Soon he came home from his day's work, drawing his sled. His sister asked as usual, "Do you see him? Do you see my brother?" And the oldest daughter, lying, answered, "Yes." And the sister asked, "Of what is his shoulder strap made?" The girl, guessing, said, "Of rawhide." And Strong Wind knew that the oldest daughter had lied, and he kept himself from her sight, and she went home dismayed.

The second daughter, too, tried to win Strong Wind. She walked along the shore with Strong Wind's sister, and when the sister asked her if she saw Strong Wind she, too, lied, saying, "Yes". When she was asked of what his shoulder strap was made, she guessed, "Of woven grasses." And so she was also denied by Strong Wind. 

When she was asked of what his shoulder strap was made, she guessed, "Of woven grasses."

"Is there NO young woman in this entire village who can just tell the truth?" exclaimed Strong Wind in exasperation. 

"Be patient," said his sister.  

One day the chief's youngest daughter with her rags and her burnt face resolved to seek Strong Wind, too. She patched her clothes with bits of birch bark from the trees as best she could, put on the few little ornaments she possessed, and went forth to try to see the Invisible One as all the other girls of the village had done before. Her sisters laughed at her and called her a fool. As she passed along the road, all the people laughed because of her tattered frock and her burnt face, but silently she went her way.

Strong Wind's sister received the girl kindly, and at twilight she took her to the beach. Soon Strong Wind came home drawing his sled, though none could see him but his sister. And his sister asked, "Do you see him?" The girl could not and answered, "No." His sister wondered greatly because she was the first one who had spoken the truth. She asked, "Do you see him now?" And the girl answered, "Yes, and he is very wonderful." Then the sister asked, "With what does he draw his sled?" The girl answered, "With the Rainbow!" The sister asked further, "Of what is his bowstring?" The girl answered, "His bowstring is the Milky Way."

Then Strong Wind's sister knew that because the girl had spoken the truth, her brother had made himself visible to her. She said, "Truly, you have seen my brother!"

Then Strong Wind's sister knew that because the girl had spoken the truth, her brother had made himself visible to her.

The sister took the girl home and bathed her, and all the scars disappeared from her face and body.  Her hair grew long and black again like the raven's wing, and the sister gave the youngest daughter fine clothes to wear and many rich ornaments. Then she bade her to take a seat in the tent. Soon Strong Wind entered and sat beside her, and they smiled.

Now it's one thing to prove to be truthful, and another thing altogether to build a real relationship.  But in the next weeks and months ahead, Strong Wind and the youngest daughter found they had much in common.  It wasn't just that as a warrior, Strong Wind had fought dangers to their village and the youngest daughter had fought dangers inside her own home.  It was also how they laughed together, saw the world, and how the very rainbow beamed brighter when they were together.

Why was it so important to Strong Wind that his bride tell the truth?

Tell about what happened when you knew someone was lying to you.