The Hidden One

A Native North American Indian Story

 

A long time ago, in a village by a lake, there lived a great hunter who was invisible. He was called the Hidden One. It was known that any young woman who could see him would become his bride, his loving wife.

Many were the hopeful young women who visited his wigwam at the far end of the village. Each was tested by the hunter’s sister, who was called the Patient One. But years passed, and none succeeded.

 In the same village lived two sisters who had lost their mother. The younger sister had a good heart, but the older one was jealous and cruel. While their father was out hunting, the older sister would torment and hurt the younger one, holding her down and burning her arms and face with sticks from the fire.

“Don’t you dare tell our father,” she would say, “or next time will be worse!”

When the father came home, he would always ask in dismay, “Why is she burnt again?”

The older sister would answer, “The stupid, clumsy thing! She was playing with the fire, just like you told her not to! She does not listen!”

The father would turn to the younger. “Is this true?”

But she only bit her lip and said nothing as she looked to the ground.

After a few years she had so many scars, she was called “Little Scarface”. She lost her long braids too, when her sister singed them off with fire. She had to go barefoot and wear rags each day, for her sister would not allow her any animal skins to make moccasins or new clothes.

Of course, the sister made up all different reasons and stories to tell their father. And he would shake his head in sorrow and feel disappointment with his younger daughter.

Now, in their village people talked about a handsome hunter who no one could see, because the great hunter was invisible. He was called “The Hidden One.” All the single girls in the village knew of him and each one of them wanted to marry him.

One day, the older sister put on her finest clothes and many shiny strings of sea shell beads.

“Do you know what I’m doing?” she asked Little Scarface. “I’m going to marry the Hidden One. Of course, that’s something you could never dream of doing.”

Little Scarface bowed her head.

The older sister left immediately and soon reached the wigwam at the edge of the village, where she was greeted by the Patient One, the hunter’s sister.

“You are welcome,” said the Patient One, “please come in.” “My brother will soon return from the hunt. Come help me prepare the evening meal so we may eat with him.”

The two of them worked awhile, until the sun was nearly down. After cooking, the Patient One led the young girl to the shore of the lake.

“My brother comes,” the Patient One said, pointing along the shore. “Do you see him?”

The young woman saw no one, but she had decided to pretend. “Of course! There he is now!”

The eyes of the Patient One narrowed. “What is his shoulder strap?”

“A strap of rawhide,” said the young woman, thinking it was a safe guess.

The Patient One frowned. “Let us return to the wigwam.”

They had just finished preparing for the meal when a deep voice said, “Greetings, my sister.”

The young woman jumped in surprise. She stared at the entrance, but saw no one.

“Greetings, my brother,” replied the Patient One, “Welcome home”.

As the young woman watched with wide big eyes, a moccasin appeared in mid-air and dropped to the floor, followed by another. A moment later, bits of food were rising from a birch-bark tray near the fire and vanishing into an invisible mouth.

The young woman turned to the Patient One and sharply asked “When will our wedding take place?”

The Patient One turned to her angrily. “What wedding? Do you think my brother would marry a liar and a fool?”

The young woman was stunned. She ran out of the wigwam crying and went home.

All the next morning she stayed in bed, weeping and sobbing. Then Little Scarface came to her and said: “Sister, let me have skins to make moccasins and new clothes. It is my turn to visit the Hidden One.”

Her sister’s face changed as she screamed “How dare you!”. She jumped up and slapped Little Scarface, knocking her to the floor. “Are you so stupid to think you can do what I could not? Even if you saw him, do you think he would marry a pathetic thing like you?”

Little Scarface sank back to her corner in tears.

She sat huddled for many, many hours, listening to her sister howl and sob. Then she rose steadily and said again, “It is my turn to visit the Hidden One.”

Her sister stopped crying and stared at her scared sister in amazement.

Little Scarface went to her father’s chest and took out an old pair of her father’s large moccasins. She put them on her own small feet.

She then went out into the woods with a strong look in her eyes.

In the woods she found a birch tree and carefully stripped off the bark in a single sheet. From the sheets she made a suit of clothes, which she put over her rags and tied them in place with strings of vine.

She then walked back through the village to continue her journey to the Hidden One’s home. Everyone in the village stared at her. “Look at Little Scarface!” yelled a boy. “She is dressed like a tree!”

“Hey, Little Scarface, are those moccasins big enough for your feet?” yelled a young boy.

“I do not believe it!” an old woman said. “She is on her way to the Hidden One!”

“Little Scarface,” called a young woman, “Did you burn yourself and singe your hair so short to look pretty for him?”

Ignoring their taunts and mocking laughter, Little Scarface walked on till she reached the wigwam at the village edge.

The Patient One saw Little Scarface and regarded the young woman with surprise. Still she told her, “You are welcome. Come in”

Little Scarface then helped her prepare the evening meal as The Patient One usually did. When the sun was nearly down, she led Little Scarface to the lake.

“My brother comes,” the Patient One told her. “Do you see him?”

Little Scarface gazed along the shore. “I’m not sure . . . .” Then her eyes lit in wonder. “Yes, I see him! Yet, how can there be such a one like him?”

The Patient One looked at her curiously and asked, “What is his shoulder strap?”

“His shoulder strap is . . . . . the Rainbow!”

The Patient One’s eyes grew large and wide. “What about his bowstring?”

“His bowstring is . . . the Milky Way!” With this response the Patient One finally smiled and said “Let us return.”

When they reached the wigwam, the Patient One took the strange clothes off Little Scarface and washed her with water from a special jar. With the magical water the young woman’s scars disappeared, leaving her skin shiny and smooth. Then she took out a magic comb. The comb made the young woman’s hair grow instantly to her waist with each brush, making it ready for braiding long black beautiful braids.

Then the Patient One opened a chest and took out a beautiful wedding outfit. Little Scarface had just finished putting it on when a deep voice said, “Greetings, my sister.”

Little Scarface turned to the entrance and stared at the magnificent young hunter. As their eyes met, she saw the surprise in his and happiness in his eyes.

“Greetings, my brother,” said the Patient One. “You are discovered!”

The Hidden One walked over to Little Scarface and took her hands in his and said, “For years I have waited to find a woman of pure heart and a brave spirit. Only such a girl could see me. And now I shall ask your father for you to be my bride.”

So they were married. And from then on, Little Scarface had a new name which everyone in the village spoke... this new name was the Lovely One.... for she too, had been hidden, but now was hidden no more.