The Sioux Cinderella

The Sioux Cinderella

On the plains of upper Iowa there dwelt in old times a great Sioux warrior. It was written that he had been one of The Great Spirits friends and best helper, and that he had done for him many wonderful deeds. He had, however, a very strange and wonderful power: he could make himself invisible. He could thus mingle unseen and unheard with his enemies and listen to their plans of attack.He was known among his people as Silent Wind, the Invisible. He dwelt with his sister, Bright Sun in a tent near the forest, and his sister helped him greatly in his work. Many maidens would have been delighted to marry him, and he was well sought after because of all his mighty deeds; and it was known that Silent Wind would marry the first maiden who could see him as he came home at night. Many have made the trial, but it was a long time before one succeeded.
Silent Wind used a clever trick to test the truthfulness of all who sought to win his heart. Each evening as the day grew late and the sun went down, his sister walked along the tree line with any girl who wished to make the trial. His sister could always see him, but no one else could unless he wished it so. And as he came home from his work in the twilight, his sister as she saw him draw near would ask the girl who sought him, "Do you see him?" And each girl would falsely answer "Yes." And Bright Sun would ask, "With what does he draw his sled?" And each girl would answer, "With the hide of a deer," or "With a pole," or even "With a great cord." And then Bright Sun would know that they all had lied, for they had merely guessed their answers. Many maidens tried and lied and failed, for Silent Wind would not marry any who were untruthful, no matter how beautiful they were.
A distance away there lived in a village a great chief who had three daughters, their mother had long been dead. One of these daughters was much younger than the others, and was very beautiful, gentle, and well beloved by all, and for that reason her older sisters were very jealous of her charms and treated her very cruelly. They clothed her in rags so that she might be ulgy; and they cut off her long black hair; and they burned her face with coals from the fire that she might be scarred and disfigured. The older sisters lied to their father, telling him that she had done these things to herself. But the young girl was patient and kept her gentle heart and went gladly about her work.
Like the other girls before them, the chief's two eldest daughters tried to win Silent Wind. One evening, as the day grew dark, they walked along the tree line with Bright Sun and waited for his coming. Soon he came home from his day's work, drawing his sled, and his sister asked the usual questions, "Do you see him?" And each one lying, answered "Yes." And Bright Sun asked, "Of what is his shoulder strap made?" And each, only guessing, said, "Of rawhide." Then they entered the tepee where they hoped to see Silent Wind eating his supper; and when he took off his coat and his moccasins they could see them, but they saw nothing. Silent Wind knew that they had lied, and he kept himself from their sight so they went home dismayed.
One day the chief's youngest daughter with her rags and her burned face resolved to seek Silent Wind. She patched her clothes with bits of cloth and birch bark from the trees, and put on the few ornaments she possessed, and went forth to try to see the great Invisible One as all the others girls of the village had done before. The older sisters laughed at her and called her foolish, and as she passed along the paths of the village, all the people laughed at her because of her tattered frock and scarred face, but silently went on her way.
Silent Wind's sister received the young girl kindly, and at twilight she took her to the forest. Soon Silent Wind came home drawing his sled. Bright Sun asked, "Do you see him?" And the girl answered, "No." and Silent Wind's sister wondered greatly because she spoke the truth. Again she asked, "Do you see him now?" And the girl answered, "Yes, and he is very wonderful." With that, Bright Sun asked, "With what does he draw his sled?" and the girl answered, "With the Rainbow," and she was much afraid. Bright Sun asked further, "Of what is his bowstring?" The girl replied, "His bowstring is the Milky Way."
With those answers, Bright Sun knew that because the girl had spoken the truth at first her brother had made himself visible to her. "Truly, you have seen him." said Bright Sun and she took her home and bathed her, and all the scars disappeared from her face and body. The young girl's hair grew long and black again like the raven's wings, and Bright Sun gave her fine clothes to wear and many rich ornaments. Then she bade her take the wife's seat in the tepee. Soon after, Silent Wind entered and sat beside her, and called her his bride. The very next day she became his wife, and ever afterward she helped him do great deeds. The girl's two elder sisters were very cross and they wondered greatly at what had taken place. But Silent Wind, who knew of their cruelty, resolved to punish them. Using his great power, he changed them both into aspen trees and rooted them in the Earth. Since that day the leaves of the aspen have always trembled, and they shiver in fear at the approach of Silent Wind, it matters not how softly he comes, for they are still mindful of his great power and anger because of their lies and their cruelty to their sister long ago.
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