Strong Wind ‘s sister
received the little girl kindly, and at twilight she took her to the beach.
Soon Strong Wind came home drawing his sled. And his sister asked, "Do
you see him?" And the girl answered, "Yes, and he is very wonderful."
And she asked, "With what does he draw his sled?" And the girl
answered, "With the Rainbow," and she was much afraid. And she
asked further, "Of what is his bowstring?" And the girl answered,
"His bowstring is the Milky Way."
Then Strong Wind ‘s sister knew that because the
girl had spoken the truth at first her brother had made himself visible
to her. And she said, "Truly, you have seen him." And
she took her home and bathed her, and all the scars disappeared from her
face and body, and her hair grew long and black again like the raven‘s
wing, and she gave her fine clothes to wear and many rich ornaments. Then
she bade her take the wife‘s seat in the tent. Soon Strong Wind
entered and sat beside her, and called her his bride. The very next day
she became his wife, and ever afterwards 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 Strong 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. And since that day the leaves
of the aspen have always trembled, and they shiver in fear at the approach
of Strong 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.
From Canadian Wonder Tales by Cyrus
Macmillian London: John Lane Company, 1920, pp. 116-19.
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