Once upon a time, a story was told to the young and imaginative minds of children. It was “Cinderella”. It has been told in various styles, be it a love-filled happily ever after or adding some gore to the mix. There were many different types of Cinderella, but nothing quite like this one. The story, “Oochigeaskw- The Rough-Faced Girl” is a Native American version of “Cinderella”. In this version, there are no grand balls, no magical fairy godmothers or animals to help the young maidens and no glass slippers. This strays from the other Cinderella stories, but it still embodies how one should not give up and keep believing in oneself.
“Oochigeaskw- The Rough-Faced Girl”, starts in a large village built next to a lake and is composed of Native
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The difference between the two was on the take of the prince. Cinderella had a prince that falls in love with her at first sight and uses a glass slipper to find her. “Oochigeaskw- The Rough-Faced Girl”, the man was no prince but an invisible man who, if “… any girl who could see him might marry him” (Oochigeaskw 246). Cinderella and Oochigeaskw are identical in background and character. They both have a father widower, abused by their sisters and treated poorly. They do not give in to the abuse or insults because they believe in their self. They believe good things will come that will change their lives. Finally, in the end had a happily ever after as, “And so Oochigeaskw became his wife” …show more content…
I like to ask what is a moose-runner or “a strip of rawhide,” (246) because I do not know. It gets even more confusing as Oochigeaskw’s answers do not make sense. How is his sled-string a rainbow and his bowstring “It is The Spirit’s Road-the Milky Way” (247)? If he is part of the sky, nature or actually not even real, then I have no idea. Another thing is why did he have to be invisible or how did he get invisible? There are many questions I still have but these terms that I do not understand made the story interesting. The story took the plot of Cinderella and did their take on it, making it unique. A classic fairytale loved by many has been adapted to create the same lessons but use different settings and characters to showcase it. “Oochigeaskw- The Rough-Faced Girl”, embodies the same characteristics of Cinderella. The same perseverance and can-do attitudes that strived forward, ignoring “… her sisters shouted and hooted, hissed and yelled, and tried to make her stay. And the loafers around the village, seeing the strange little creature, called out “Shame!””(247). In the end, both were able live happily ever