In ancient times, Indians from the Miami tribe found an Indian girl almost dying of hunger in the forest. They took her to the chief, who kept her with his family.
Years passed. The girl grew up and turned into a slender beauty. The Indians called her the Sun Flower.
She knew how to steer a canoe better than her peers, ran faster than anyone else, and could swim long distances without much effort. But at the same time she was extremely proud.
When she turned eighteen and young warriors began to look at her, Sunny Flower did not give preference to any of them, because she believed that they were all unworthy of her.
Then the leader of the tribe called her to him and ordered her to choose a groom. But the girl replied that she agreed to marry only the one who would overtake her in a canoe. Only the winner can be her husband.
The day appointed for the competition turned out to be warm.
It was September. The birds sang their songs. A light breeze caused the river to turn into small ripples. From time to time, fish poked their heads out of the water, as if asking why so many people had gathered here.
And people gathered to watch how the strongest young man of the tribe would compete with the Sun Flower. But as soon as the young man and the Sunny Flower took their places in the boats, another canoe appeared. An unknown young Indian was sitting on it. He held his hands palms up as a sign that he had arrived with peaceful intentions.
The leader gave a sign, and the stranger approached. He announced to the leader that he had sailed from afar to ask for the Sun Flower as his wife.
The leader responded:
“If today none of the warriors of my tribe manage to win the race, tomorrow I will allow you to try your luck.”
And the competition began. One after another, the young warriors entered the fight, but Sun Flower's canoe came first every time. Sunny Flower, without hesitation, loudly ridiculed the losers:
- No one can defeat me! Even the Sun itself!
But then came the second day of the competition. Sunny Flower sat in her canoe, another was occupied by yesterday's stranger. Everyone was waiting for the leader's signal. And when the signal was given, both canoes, to the surprise of those present, did not rush, as they were supposed to, down the river, but began to slowly, and then increasingly faster, rise towards the sky.
The astonished people silently looked at this spectacle until both canoes disappeared forever among the clouds. People stood on the shore for a long time. Finally the old leader broke the silence:
“She didn’t want to find a husband among people.” She decided to boast of her art before the Sun itself. And the Sun punished her for this.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru