Sootface, An Ojibwa Cinderella Story

retold by Robert D. San Souci
illustrated by Daniel San Souci

Book reviews Story Characters Use of Magic Country of origin & printable map Related Books

Booklist, Vol. 91, No. 4 (October 15, 1994)
Ages 5-9. In this Ojibwa tale, Sootface is a young woman who does all the cooking, mending, and fire tending for her father and her two mean and lazy older sisters. When the mysterious invisible warrior announces through his sister that he will take for his bride a woman with a kind and honest heart, only Sootface proves worthy. The tale has been told before, even in picture-book format, but the San Souci version reads aloud well, and the watercolor artwork illustrates the story with quiet grace. A satisfying picture book for reading aloud or alone, and a good choice for classes studying Native Americans or comparative folklore.

There was an Ojibwa man with three daughters. It was the daughter’s job to gather wood, cook, and sew clothes from skins their father provided. The two older sisters were pretty, but they were lazy and bad tempered. When their father was hunting, they would make the youngest sister do all of the work. The fire would singe the youngest girl’s hair. The two older sisters would often beat her and rub ashes on her face. They called the youngest sister, Sootface.

Sootface was always tired and sad. Her sisters would constantly order her around. When their father would return, he would ask about Sootface. The older daughters would explain that she was clumsy and did not listen to their warnings.

The older sisters saved the best skins for their dresses. Sootface only had scraps. When she fetched water, the young men would point and laugh.

There was a mighty warrior who lived in the village. He had the power to be invisible. No one ever saw him but his sister.

One day the brother told his sister to announce that he was looking for a bride. Only the woman who can tell what his bow and bowstring was made out of would be allowed to marry him. Many women came dressed in their best clothes, but all failed the test.

This went on for a long time. Then, Sootface’s oldest sister decided to try. When she arrived dressed in her best, the Invisible One’s sister asked if she saw her brother. The oldest sister lied and said yes. When given the test question, the eldest sister failed. She returned home angry. She gave Sootface more chores and smeared more soot on her face.

The middle sister decided she was going to try. As she approached the Invisible One’s wigwam, his sister stood waiting. Again the Invisible One’s sister asked the test question. Thinking she was so clever, she answered the bow was made from horn and the bowstring was made from braided horsehair. The middle sister failed and returned home angry. Like the eldest sister, she took out her anger on Sootface. She scolded her and smeared more ashes on her face.

The next day Sootface decided she would visit the hunter. She begged to borrow clothes and jewelry from her sisters. They both refused to help Sootface. They did not want any of their things to get dirty from the dirt and ashes on Sootface. Although Sootface was hurt by her sisters’ unkindness, she was still determined to get a husband. She went into the woods and asked the birch tree to share its skin so that she could wear a new skirt to seek a husband.

Out of things in the woods, Sootface sewed a skirt, made a necklace of wildflower, made her her stiff moccasins softer, washed her hair, and put flowers in her hair. When the sisters saw her, they called her ugly and laughed at her. When they saw Sootface continue her journey, they called on the other people of the village to see how ridiculous she looked. The people of the village started laughing and poking fun at her, but Sootface kept walking.

After a while, Sootface met the hunter’s sister. As they were talking, Sootface asked her who the handsome man was that was approaching them. The sister was surprised that Sootface could see him. She asked Sootface the test question. Sootface said his bow was made of a rainbow and his bowstring with White Fire. The hunter’s sister hugged Sootface and told her she would be her brother’s bride.

The hunter’s sister took Sootface into the wigwam. There with the help of magic, she made Sootface beautiful. Sootface’s beauty was hidden beneath the scars and ashes. When the sister was finished with Sootface, her brother entered the wigwam. He asked her name. When she answered, Sootface, he shook his head and said that he would call her Dawn-Light. That day he carried a gift of game to her family signifying their marriage.

Soon after, they were married. Everyone was happy except Dawn-Light’s two oldest sisters. They had to do all the cooking and cleaning for themselves.

Sootface - Her eyes were always sad and tired. She was called names and made to do all of the chores by her sisters. Even the young men would point and laugh at her. She asked her sisters’ help to prepare her for her visit to the great warrior. She called upon the birch tree to help make her an outfit for her visit to the great warrior. The villagers laughed at her outfit. She visited the wigwam of the great hunter and answered the questions correctly. The great hunter called her Dawn-Light. She married him.

Two sisters - They were pretty but lazy and bad tempered. They made Sootface do all of the chores. They gave her the name Sootface because as she tended the fire she became burnt and singed. They sometimes beat Sootface. They took the best skins from their father to make their own clothes. They went to see the great warrior to get him to marry them, but both failed. The sisters refused to help Sootface prepare for her visit to the great warrior.

Sootface’s father - He raised three daughters alone. When he returned from his hunt, he inquired about Sootface’s condition, but did nothing about it.

Invisible One’s sister - She made the announcement that her brother was searching for a bride. She said that only the girls that could see him and answer the test questions correctly would be allowed to marry him. She combed Sootface’s hair with a magical comb.

Invisible One - He was a mighty warrior and a great hunter. He lived with his sister in the wigwam. A great medicine man gave him the power to make himself invisible. He wanted a bride, but the girl had to be able to see him and answer two questions. He married Sootface. He changed her name to Dawn-Light.

The first sign of magic in this story is when you are told that a great medicine man gave the mighty warrior the power to become invisible. Throughout the entire story he is invisible until Sootface answers the test questions correctly.

Another feat of magic is the mighty warrior’s bow and sled. His bow was made of a rainbow and his bowstring with White Fire.

The last feat of magic was when the sister combed Sootface’s hair. The story mentions that the comb is magical. It turned Sootface’s singed hair into long, thick, and shiny hair as black as a blackbird’s wing.

The Ojibwas like Sootface and her family lived in wigwams. “The home of the Ojibwas was called a wigwam” (Lucas 12). The entire village lived in wigwams.

The great warrior was invisible. A great medicine man gave him the power to become invisible. “Ojibwas believe that spirit beings and forces are constantly in motion can change shapes, becoming visible as animals, humans, or material objects” (Bonvillain 15). Because he was invisible and such a great hunter, the rest of the tribe respected him. “Ojibwas believed in spirits that should be respected” (Lucas 17).

When Sootface wanted a dress, she asked her sisters for help, and they refused to help her. Sootface went into the forest and asked the birch tree for its bark so that she could make herself an outfit to visit the great warrior. “Birchbark was plentiful in Ojibwa territory. It was used to make many things” (Lucas 22). Most of the dresses made for the women were made of deerskins. When Sootface finally passed the test of the great warrior, she was given a dress of white doeskin. “Women wore dresses made of deerskin” (Lucas 20). After the Invisible One’s sister combed Sootface’s hair with a magical comb, she braided her long black hair. “Men and women braided their hair” (Lucas 20).

Lucas, Eileen. The Ojibwas. Brookfield Milbrook Press, 1994.

Bonvillain, Nancy. Native American Religion. New York: Chelsea House, 1996.