The Turkey Girl
A Zuni Cinderella Story

retold by Penny Pollock; illustrated by Ed Young

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Booklist, Vol. 92, No. 16 (April 15, 1996)
Gr. 4-6. A young Turkey Girl forgets her debt to her loving flock and ends up with nothing in this retelling of a Zuni tale. Turkey Girl, outcast and poor, goes to a great feast with the help of her turkeys, who dance her a becoming costume and rich jewels. But she forgets her promise to return before the sun sets, and when she finally does remember, it is too late: the turkeys have gone, and nothing remains. The bleakness of the tale is softened by Young’s elegantly evocative pastel and oil crayon illustrations. Desert violets and rich reds complement one another against the spacious backdrop of the southwestern sky. The changing light, a constant indication of the emotional tenor of the plot, glows with reflected firelight, the sun’s setting rays, and the chill twilight shadows. Pollock’s retelling is steady and solid, and her source is clearly indicated in an author’s note that gives some background on the tale.

Horn Book starred, September, 1996
This unusual version with its rather abrupt ending provides an interesting contrast to European variations of the Cinderella story. In an introductory note, Pollock contends that the “various Native American versions end with the hard truth that when we break our trust with Mother Earth, we pay a price.” Moody, textured pastel and oil-crayon illustrations evoke the southwestern desert.

Kirkus Review, 1996
Unlike most Cinderella variants, this retelling of a Zuni story ends unhappily, and hinges on the main character’s unfaithfulness. When the ragged turkey herder hears that a Dance of the Sacred Bird is to be held in nearby Hawikuh, she weeps--until her avian friends magic her clothes into splendid garments, hawk up silver and jewelry that they’ve collected in their crops for years, and send her off, charging her to return before sunset or prove herself “mean of spirit.” Enthralled by the music and the men, she delays too long, and loses turkeys, fine clothing, and any hope of respect from her peers. Pollock (Garlanda, 1980, etc.) tells the tale in formal, flowing style, with long sentences and polite dialogue; Young’s large, impressionistic scenes only hint of place, dress, or culture, but fully capture the story’s changing moods with floating, indistinct figures and strongly colored light. A graceful, dreamy episode.

Publishers Weekly, April 29, 1996
In this sobering Native American variation of the Cinderella story, the focus is not on finding true love but on remaining true to one’s promises. To repay the kindness of the poor orphan girl who tends them, the tribe’s turkeys dress her in a fine doeskin robe so she can attend the Dance of the Sacred Bird. So enthralled is she with the dancing that she breaks her promise to return to the turkeys before dawn and consequently loses her friends forever. Pollock frequently interrupts the narrative with references to Zuni clothing and dwellings-the girl’s yucca sandals, her “turquoise necklaces and earrings of delicate beauty.” In contrast, Young’s (Lon Po Po) characteristically abstract illustrations evoke the sunlight and heat of the pueblo villages with few visual clues about the story itself. Except for the heroine’s beautiful face, the characters and setting are hazy shadows, often appearing simply as dark silhouettes. The reader never sees the celebrated gown, which is shrouded in a mantle; the dancers at the festival are barely visible smudges seen through the pueblo’s doorways. Like the music of story hour radio shows, these illustrations set a mood, forcing the reader to fill in the visual details. Ages 4-8. (Apr.)

Long ago there was a girl who lived in the shadow of Thunder Mountain. She lived alone and her daily task was herding turkeys. The black and white tail feathers were used to decorate prayer sticks and ceremonial masks. The wealthy families called her Turkey Girl and often paid her with corn and cast-off clothes.

Everyday from morning to night, Turkey Girl would herd the turkeys from Matsaki to the mesa, and back home again. She faithfully tended her turkeys through hot summer and into fall.

One day as Turkey Girl was filling her chipped water jug, the herald-priest made an announcement. The Dance of the Sacred Bird in Hawikuh was near, and all were invited to attend. Although Turkey Girl knew she would not be able to attend, she still dreamed of all the colors and festivities. The only ones that she could tell her feelings to were her friends the turkeys.

On the day of the dance, the villagers left for Hawikuh. Turkey Girl and her turkeys left for the plains below Thunder Mountain. As she traveled she cried. Suddenly, a large turkey appeared before her. He told her not to cry. She would be going to the dance. She thanked him, but told him she had nothing but rags to wear. The turkeys had her follow them back to their home. The large turkey ordered the other turkeys to surround Turkey Girl. They danced and sang around her until she was clean. She was told to remove her clothes and lay it on the ground. They again danced and sang beating life back into her clothes. Soon Turkey Girl was wearing a white doeskin dress with a read and yellow cloth belt. Rare shells hung from the hem. Black and white turkey feathers were worn in her hair. Then, the turkeys flew above her and dropped turquoise necklaces and earrings and silver bracelets. Now, Turkey Girl was ready to go to the dance. She thanked the turkeys and left.

Before she left, the large turkey told her that she must return before sunset. If she did not return, they would think she was mean of spirit and deserved her hard life. She promised she would return. Before she could leave, the old Turkey said that their latches would remain unlocked. If she did not return by sunset, they would gain their freedom. Turkey Girl agreed to his request and left for the dance.

When she entered the dance, there were bright colors, music, and excitement. She danced and danced. As the sun went down, she told herself she would leave and go back to her turkeys as soon as the music quieted. When the music finally ended, it started up again. Turkey Girl continued dancing.

Just as she was going to leave, a young brave brushed against her. She didn’t know why she should leave because of some turkeys. As night fell, she remembered the turkeys’ kindness. She left the dance and ran until she reached the turkey pen.

When she returned, her turkeys were gone. She searched and searched but did not find them. When she did not return by sunset, she had broken her trust with them, and they left. As she stood in the moonlight, she realized that she was back in her rags. The turkeys were gone forever.

Turkey Girl - She was poor and lived alone. She cared for turkeys faithfully. The turkeys were her only friends. She was kind to the turkeys. She wore rags. She went to the dance in doeskin dress. She enjoyed dancing. She lost the trust of the turkeys. The turkeys left her. She was sorry. She was left alone and in rags.

Big Turkey - He helped Turkey Girl get a dress and jewels for the dance. He was kind to Turkey Girl. He was wise. He had the latches left open for the turkeys’ freedom if Turkey Girl did not return on time. He lost trust in Turkey Girl. He gained his freedom and the turkeys’ freedom. He was never seen again.

The magic in this story occurs when the large Turkey has the other turkeys help Turkey Girl prepare for the dance. They form a circle, sing, and dance to help make her clean. Then, they have her undress and lay her clothes on the ground. The turkeys form another circle and beat new life into her rags. She ends up with a white doeskin dress belted with a yellow and red cloth. On her hem were rare shells. To make the outfit complete, she needed jewelry. The big turnkey explained how men were careless and they have stones stored in their gullets. The turkeys flew above her head and dropped turquoise necklaces, earrings, and silver bracelets.

There was a warning given to Turkey Girl by the large turkey. She had to return by sunset or they would lose their trust in her and gain their freedom. Turkey Girl agreed with their requests. When she returned late, the turkeys were gone and her beautiful dress was turned back into rags.

“The Zuni pueblo villages were compact…The people used ladders that leaned against the sides of the buildings to get to small trapdoors of the roof” (Lassieur 92). Turkey Girl’s house was beneath the other houses. It mentions in the story that the houses were piled atop one another with ladders reaching their roof doors.

The villagers often paid Turkey Girl with corn. Corn must have been considered valuable. “The centrality of corn as a religious symbol for life and fertility is reflected in numerous rituals of the Southwestern cultures” (Bonvillain 46).

When the turkeys cleaned Turkey Girl’s clothes, they mentioned a red and yellow sash. They had to dye clothes to get the bright colors. “Using plant mineral dyes, they created different colored cloth” (Williams 37).

“Coastal Indians loved big parties…Messengers were sent to other villages with invitations” (Kamma 38). The herald-pries arrived and appeared on the flat housetops. He announced that in four days the Dance of the Sacred Bird would be held in Hawikuh. Everyone was expected to attend. Everyone was excited. It seemed like people in the story looked forward to celebrations.

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

Kamma, Anne. If you lived with the Indians of the Northwest Coast. New York: Scholastic, Inc., 2002.

Lassieur, Allison. Before the Storm. New York: Facts on File, Inc. 1998.

Williams, Colleen. What the Native Americans Wore. Philadelphia: Mason Crest Publishers, 2003.