The Indian Girl

One beautiful spring morning, a group of warriors rode back into their village after a tremendous battle.  Many of the warriors were returning with battle scars that would make their families proud.  Other families were left standing as the last of the warriors returned to their homes, and they realized their loved ones had not returned.  Aponi’s father had gone off to fight in the battle and he had not come home.  She would never see him again.  Aponi and her mother, Etu,  went sadly back to their tepee to begin their lives without their beloved father and husband.

However, they did not have to be alone for long.  As is the custom in this Indian tribe, the brother of Aponi's father, Takoda, moved in with the family to take the place of his brother.  Takoda had been married but his wife died giving birth to their daughter, Onawa, and he had raised her all alone.  Onawa resembled her mother so much that Takoda could not find it in his heart to force her to do work, so he had spoiled her and pampered her all of her life.  Etu was submissive to her new husband, as women of the tribe were expected to be, and did not question Takoda’s rules.  Aponi was left to do all the chores by herself, with no help from Onawa who sat around all day having Aponi fetch things for her and cook her meals. 

          The Tribal Ritual of Matchmaking was quickly approaching and Aponi was not allowed to go, she had too much work to do.  She had to help her mother make a beautiful dress for Onawa, plus all of her daily chores.  Father would not allow Aponi to go.

“You are nothing but a servant,” Takoda scowled, “There will be no one there who would take you as a wife.”

Aponi began to cry and ran to the riverbank to weep.  A beautiful doe appeared out of the forest to comfort her. 

“There, there child.  There’s no need to cry.  Tell me all of your troubles.” 

Aponi told the deer her sad story of servitude to her new father and new sister, and she explained that she was not allowed to attend the ceremony.

“Well what are you waiting for?  Go back to your tepee. There you will find a beautiful buckskin dress made just for you!”

Aponi was so excited she nearly stumbled over her moccasins to get home.  And sure enough, there in her blanket was the most wonderful dress she had ever seen.  It was light brown, like the mane of her pony, and sleeveless.  It was adorned with glimmering turquoise beads and feathers from all of the birds in the village.  An armband of the same tan leather had matching beads, and when she placed it on her arm they dangled down to her elbow.  Her new delicate moccasins were embroidered with leather in ancient Indian designs.  And lying on her pillow of buffalo hide was a single string of daisies to place atop her jet-black hair.  As she admired herself in the firelight the beads shimmered and reflected brilliant colors of light inside the tepee. 

Quickly she gathered the courage to attend the ceremony and everyone was amazed and mystified at the beauty and brilliance of this intriguing young girl.  Nahele, the bravest warrior from Aponi's neighboring tribe spotted her through the crowd.  He rushed to her, asking her to dance.  As they twirled in the starlight Nahele fell in love with her tenderness and her laughter.  Aponi was having such a wonderful time she almost forgot that she had to be home before her mother, sister, and father got home.  Aponi managed to tear herself away from her handsome warrior, promising to see him again.

She rushed back to the tipi to change from her enchanted wardrobe back into her dirty, tattered dress.  Onawa rushed in bubbling with excitement, telling Aponi all about how beautiful she looked and how wonderful she danced.  Takoda and Etu smiled with pride. 

“It’s a shame you missed the ceremony,” Onawa states.  “There was a beautiful girl there, and no one knew who she was.  She was wearing turquoise beads and feathers.  And Nahele danced with her all night,” she added grumpily. 

Aponi smiled in spite of herself, thinking of how she had fooled everyone.  But now what should she do?  Would she ever see Nahele again?

The next day Aponi went to the riverbank to fetch some water for the afternoon meal and she found herself staring face to face with Nahele.  He looked as handsome as ever, dressed in buckskin breeches with long, eagle feathers laced through his straight, dark hair.

“Hello,” he smiled.  “What’s your name?  I’ve never seen you before and I’ve been to this village many times.”

“I am Aponi,” she blushed, “And I have lived here all of my life.” 

Aponi and Nahele began to talk.  They talked about their lives, their families, and then their talk turned to the Matchmaking Ceremony. 

    “Why weren’t you at the Ceremony last night?  I know I would have noticed you if you had been there.  Don’t you want to marry?” he asks shyly. 

“Of course I want to marry,” Aponi sighed, “But my father will not allow me to attend the ceremonies.  I must help prepare my sister for her matchmaking, and for her wedding.” 

“That’s not fair to you, how are you supposed to find your match?  How are you to marry if you cannot attend the ceremonies?” he asks angrily.

“My time will come,” she replied softly, “My time will come.”

Aponi and Nahele agreed to meet every evening on the banks of the river, and there they fell in love to the beautiful orchestra of nature. 

The second, and final, ceremony was just around the corner.  Once again Aponi must sew her new sister’s dress and she is not allowed to go.  Again she ran to the riverbank to think of her love and, as if from nowhere, the beautiful doe appears to comfort her once more.

“What’s wrong my child?  Why are you crying?  Tell me all your troubles.” 

Aponi told her the same story of her new sister and how she was not allowed to attend the ceremony.  But this time Aponi was fearful of losing her love, because she knew that night was the most important.  That night was the night the matches were to be made by the tribe elders. 

“Calm my dear, have no fear.  You will attend this ritual in a beautiful new dress I have left for you.” 

And as quickly as she had appeared she seemed to vanish into the mist.  Aponi was so excited!  She ran back to her tepee to discover the most beautiful, most luxurious, black leather dress she had ever seen.  It was made to drape off one shoulder and was covered in thousands of tiny scarlet beads.  The hem of the dress was laced with feathers from a golden eagle.  Her new, beautiful black armband dangled with beads to her wrist, and there was a ring of red roses for her hair, so vibrant they made her rosy cheeks dance with delight.  She slipped on her moccasins, embellished with little golden bells that jingled cheerfully as she walked. 

This time as she arrived at the ceremony, Nahele, the brave warrior, was waiting for her. 

“I didn’t think you were coming,” he whispered breathlessly.  “You look beautiful! Even more radiant than the last time we met.  You know, you remind me of someone…” and he lost himself in thought, remembering Aponi and their time spent together by the river. 

Aponi rushed home after a wonderful night of singing, dancing and feasting, for this was the night the couples were to be chosen and begin their lives together.  Onawa was furious about this mystery girl, for her plans were to have Nahele for herself. She expected him to fall in love with her, and she was upset that her plans had not worked as expected.  She saw the beautiful girl sneak away early and followed her back to their tipi.  Onawa was livid that this mystery girl was actually her stepsister, Aponi. 

“Just you wait until everyone finds out you were there.  Think of what my father will do to you when he discovers you weren’t here all along,” her voice dripped with vehemence. 

Onawa dragged Aponi back to the ceremony, where the couples were about to be announced. 

“Look who I found, everyone!  She’s not a new girl, she’s just my ugly old stepsister, my servant!” Onawa boasted.  “Nahele and I can be together now, and Aponi shall be punished.”

Takoda was stunned by Onawa’s announcement and was shamed that Aponi had disobeyed him.  Etu was astounded and ashamed with herself for mistreating her own child, and she was amazed that her daughter looked so beautiful. 

The tribe accepted Aponi and shamed Onawa for being dishonest and spiteful.  Aponi and Nahele were wed and lived a wonderful life together.  Onawa was punished by having to wait until the next Matchmaking Ceremony, a whole five years later, until she could be wed.  Etu moved to Nahele’s tribe to share in her daughter’s life and Takoda and Onawa were left to live alone, making each other miserable.