Native American Legends
The girl who was not satisfied with simple things
An Iroquois Legend
There once was a girl who was not satisfied with simple things.
Her parents despaired of ever finding her a husband she would accept.
Each man who came was not good enough. "That one was too fat;
he will never do." Or "Did you see how shabby his moccasins
were?" Or "I didn't like the way he spoke." Such
were the things she would say.
One night, as the fire flickered low, a strange young warrior came
to their door. "Dahjoh," said the mother. "come inside,"
but the visitor stood a the edge of the light and pointed his hand
at the girl.
"I have come to take you as my wife," he said. Now this
young man was very handsome. His face shone in the firelight. Above
his waist was a fine, wide belt of black and yellow wampum that
glittered like water. On his head he wore two tall feathers and
he moved with the grace of a willow tree in the wind.
But the mother was worried. "My daughter," she said,
"you would not take any of the men in our village. Would you
marry a stranger whose clan you don't know?"
It was no use, for at last the daughter was satisfied. She packed
her belongings and walked into the night, following the handsome
stranger.
The girl walked for some time through the darkness with him when
she began to feel afraid. Why had she left her mother's lodge to
come with this man she had never seen?
Just then her husband grasped her arm. "Do not fear,"
he said, whispering in the darkness. "We will soon come to
the place of my people."
"But my husband," said the girl, "how can that be?
It seems we must be close to the river."
Her husband grasped her arm again. "Follow me," he whispered
"just down this hill. We have almost come to the place of my
people."
The two of them walked down a steep bank and came to a lodge which
had a pair of horns, like those of a giant elk, fastened above the
door. "This is our home," the husband said. "Tomorrow
you will meet my people."
The rest of the night the girl was afraid. She heard strange noises
outside. She noticed that the lodge had a smell like that of a fish.
She held her blankets tightly about her and waited, wide-eyed, for
the morning.
When the next day came, the sun did not shine. The gray sky was
filled with hazy light. Her husband gave her a new dress, covered
just like his with wampum. "You must put this on," he
said to the girl, "before you are ready to meet my people."
But the frightened girl would not touch the dress. "It smells
like fish," she said. "I will not put it on."
Her husband looked angry but he said no more. Before long, he walked
to the door of the lodge. "I must go away for a time,"
he whispered. "Do not leave this place and do not be afraid
of anything you see." And he was gone.
The girl sat there wondering about her fate. Why had she come with
this strange man? She saw that if she had been satisfied with simple
things this would not have happened. She thought of the fire in
her mother's lodge. She thought of the simple, good-hearted men
who had asked her to marry them. Just then a great horned serpent
crawled in through the door of the lodge. As she sat there, stiff
with fear, it came up to her and stared a long time into her eyes.
Around its body were glittering bands of yellow and black. Then
it turned and crawled out of the door.
The girl followed slowly and peered outside. All around, there
were serpents, some lying on rocks, some crawling out of caves.
Then she knew that her husband was not what he seemed, not a human
being, but a serpent disguised in human form.
Now this girl who had been foolish was a girl who was not without
courage. She knew that she would never agree to put on her husband's
magical dress and become a great serpent herself. But how could
she escape? She thought and thought and finally, for she had gone
the whole night without sleep, she closed her eyes and slept.
Then, as she slept, it seemed to her an old man appeared in her
dream. "My granddaughter," said the old man in a clear
deep voice, "let me help you."
"But what can I do, Grandfather?" she asked.
"You must do as I say," the old man answered "You
must leave this place at once and run to the edge of the village.
There you will see a tall steep cliff. You must climb that cliff
and not turn back or your husband's people will stop you. When you
have reached the top, I shall help you."
When the girl awoke, she realized she had to follow the old man's
words. She looked outside the lodge and saw her husband coming,
dressed again in the form of a beautiful man. She knew she had to
go at once or be caught in this place forever. So, quick as a partridge
flying up, she burst from the door of her husband's lodge and dashed
toward the cliffs.
"Come back!" she heard her husband shout but she did
not look back. The cliffs were very far away. She ran as swiftly
as she could. Then she began to hear a sound, a rustling noise like
the wind rushing through the reeds but she did not look back. The
cliffs were closer now. Then once more she heard her husband's voice
close to her whispering, whispering, "Come back, my wife, come
join my people." But now she had come to the cliffs and began
to climb.
She climbed and she climbed, using all of her strength, remembering
the old man's promise, as her hands grew painful and tired. Ahead
of her was the top of the cliff and as she reached it she felt the
hand of the old man lifting her to her feet.
She looked back and saw that she had just climbed up out of the
river. Behind her were many great horned serpents. Then, as she
watched, the old man began to hurl bolts of lightning which struck
the monsters. And she knew that the old man was Heno, the Thunderer.
The lightning flashed and the thunder drums rolled across the sky.
In the river the serpents tried to escape but the bolts of Heno
struck them all. Then the storm ended and the girl stood there,
a gentle rain washing over her face as the Thunderer looked down
on her.
"You're very brave, my child," he said. "You have
helped me rid the earth of those monsters. Perhaps I may call on
you again, for your deed has given you power."
Then the old man raised his hand and a single cloud drifted down
to earth. He and the girl stepped into the cloud which carried them
back to her village.
It is said that the girl later married a man whose heart was good.
Between them they raised many fine children. It is also said that
her grandfather, Heno, came back to visit her many times. Often
she would fly with him to help rid the earth of evil creatures.
And when she was old, she always told her grandchildren these words:
"Be satisfied with simple things."
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