Once there was a little girl named Zibelin. She lived in a small village deep in the forest of qʷalbc with her Mom and sister. The village was protected with giant trees so tall and thick that the only way in was through the front gate. Life inside the village walls was fun and exciting. Zibelin and her sister played in the courtyard while their Mom danced, sang and created magic all while protecting and caring for Zibelin and her sister.
Every once in a while, Zibelin’s Mom would take them out to visit other villages so her children could play with others. Zibelin noticed how similar all these other children were to each other and yet very different from herself. She began wishing she was like them and not so different.
One day a traveler from the Wamapnoag tribe arrived at the gate seeking a place to rest for a few days. Zibelin’s Mom let him in as Zibelin and her sister hid behind a tree watching him ride in on his horse as he made his way down the dirt path to the center of the courtyard. Zibelin’s Mom called to the girls to come greet the strange. She and her sister approached him cautiously.
Over the next few days, Zibelin and her sister got to know the stranger and hear about his travels to far away lands and exciting adventures. The traveler soon realized he was in a magical place. He would sit in awe as they all danced and sang and performed magic for him. He was sad when it was time for him to continue his journey. He said good-bye to them as he rode off into the forest.
One night in a dream, the traveler saw a vision. It was Zibelin. She was at a crossroad and not sure which way to go. One path led to the village of children who all looked the same as they laughed and played. The other path led her to a land of magic and mystery, a land where everyone was different and special. He watched as Zibelin began walking down the path to the village. He tried to call out to her, but she could not hear him. He knew that if she walked down that path, she would lose her magical powers she did not yet know she possessed.
The next morning, the traveler woke up and knew what he had to do. In his travels, the Elders would talk about these magical feathers. It was said that if you were true of heart, when you would wear the feathers, the Spirits would grant you the ability to see into the future. You would walk proudly being your true self and you would possess great knowledge and understanding and could use that to protect and guide others. This was exactly what Zibelin needed right now.
He set out that morning to gather the items he needed to make a magical headdress. First he needed to find leather and beads. He got on his horse and rode to the “Land on the Long Tidal River”. There he found the leather and magical beads from the Algonquian tribe. The next day he rode up along the Muhhekunnetuk river – “where the waters were never still”, to Paanpack where he found the magical feathers of the Peacock from the Mohican tribe. He returned to his camp where the Siwanoy tribe had welcomed him in months earlier. He sat down and began making the magical headdress.
Upon finishing the headdress, the traveler asked the Siwaoy Chief for help in delivering the gift. The Chief went to the highest hill and there he made contact with a hawk. The Chief spoke to hawk and asked it if it could set out and find Zibelin in the forest of qʷalbc. Hawk agreed and the Chief asked Hawk to meet him there the next morning at daybreak. The next morning, the traveler and the Chief made there way up the hill to meet Hawk. The traveler described the girl to Hawk and where to find Zibelin in her village by the river protected by the trees. He then handed the gift to Hawk who clutched it in his talons and he flew off.
It took Hawk five days to reach qʷalbc village and then find Zibelin. He spotted her long golden hair frolicking inside the village protected by trees from high above. As he swooped down, Zibelin’s mom spotted him and rushed out to see what he was doing. Hawk told her Mom about the gift from the traveler and then gently placed it in her hands. She thanked Hawk and he flew off into the sky. She watched as he became a tiny dot and then vanished into the clouds high above.
Zibelin came running over and asked her Mom what Hawk had said. Her Mom knelt down and explained to Zibelin the story Hawk told her and then presented her with the Magical Headdress. Upon placing it on her head, Zibelin began to see how beautiful it was to be her and to be here. She ran and danced and sang and she felt so special, she no longer wanted to be like anyone but herself.