The Rough-Face Girl by Rafe Martin is one of the many versions of the modern day Cinderella. It is an Algonquin Indian folklore tale of the Cinderella story. Set in a village off the shores of Lake Ontario, there was a huge wigwam that housed the wonderful, rich and powerful invisible being. Every woman in this village wanted to marry the invisible being, however no one could do so unless they had "seen" him before. The invisible beings sister guarded the wigwam and would ask many questions to woman who came to marry him. No one was ever able to get passed his sister and her stern looks. In this village lived a very poor man who had three daughters. Two of the daughters were very cruel and always made their sister sit by the fire to feed the flames. The flames would burn and scar her face. Her hair would also get burnt by the flames. The two older sister laughed at her and called her "Rough-Face Girl." The two older sisters one day decided they would go marry the invisible being and asked their father for necklaces and and new dresses. They went to the invisible beings wigwam however they were not successful for they had not been able to "see" the invisible being. One day the Rough-Face Girl went to her father asking for new dresses and necklaces for she had seen the invisble beings face. Her father had none of this left however, and she had to go dressed as she was. Everyone in the village laughed at her on her way to the wigwam, but she stood strong and went anyways. When she arrived she had indeed seen his face and was introduced to the invisible being. All of a sudden her scarred hands and face were healed and her hair was not burnt but long and beautiful. She married the invisible being and they never parted. I really enjoyed reading this story! Out of the many versions of Cinderella I have read I have enjoyed this one the most. I think this would be a great way to introduce different cultures through literature into the classroom.
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