A long time ago, in a village by a lake, there lived a wicked monster who had put the town in fears for all of history. The monster was invisible, and called himself the Hidden One. It was said that any young woman who could see him would become his bride.
Many hopeful young women visited his cottage at the far end of the village. Each was tested by the monster's sister, who was called the Snotty One. But years passed, and none succeeded.
In the same village lived two sisters who had lost their mother. The younger sister had a good heart, but the older one was jealous and cruel. While their father was out hunting, the older sister would torment the younger one, holding her down and put her chewed gum into her hair. “Don’t you dare tell our father,” she would say, “or next time will be worse!”
When the father came home, he would ask in dismay, “Why is there a patch of your hair missing again..?” The older sister would answer, “The stupid, clumsy thing! She was playing with the scissors, just like you told her not to!”The father would turn to the younger. “Is this true?" But she only bit her lip and said nothing.
After a while she had so many missing patches of hair, she was called Little Ugly Girl. And she had to go barefoot and wear rags, for her sister would not allow her any skins to make moccasins or new clothes. Of course, the sister made up all different reasons to tell their father. And he would shake his head in sorrow and disappointment.
One day, the older sister put on her finest clothes and many shiny strings of shell beads. “Do you know what I’m doing?” she asked Little Ugly Girl. “I’m going to marry the Hidden One. Of course, that’s something you could never dream of.” Little Ugly Girl bowed her head. When the older sister reached the cottage at the edge of the village, she was greeted by the sister of the monster. “Umm what are you doing here?,” said the Snotty One. “My brother is out feeding, but if you like.. help make dinner you can stay I guess.” The two of them worked awhile, until the sun was nearly down. Then the Snotty One led the young woman to the shore of the lake. “My brother will like be here kinda soon, soo.. clean yourself up why don't you,” the Snotty One said, pointing along the shore. “Do you see him?” The young woman saw no one, but she had decided to pretend. “Of course. There he is now!”
The eyes of the Snotty One narrowed. “Oh yeah? what is his shoulder strap?”, “A strip of rawhide?,” said the young woman, thinking it a safe guess. The Snotty One frowned. “Let us return to the cottage.”
They had just finished making the meal when a deep voice said, “Greetings, my sister.” The young woman jumped in surprise. She stared at the entrance but saw no one. “Greetings, my brother,” replied the Snotty One. As the young woman watched with wide eyes nothing, she saw nothing. Willingly the young woman turned to the Snotty One. “When will our wedding take place?” The Snotty One turned to her angrily. “Uhh.. What wedding? Do you think my brother would marry a stupid lying girl?” The young woman ran crying from the cottage.
All the next morning she stayed in bed, weeping and sobbing. Then Little Ugly Girl came to her.
“Sister, let me have skins to make moccasins and new clothes. It is my turn to visit the Hidden One.”
“How dare you!” screamed the sister. She jumped up and slapped Little Ugly Girl, knocking her to the floor. “Are you so stupid to think you can do what I couldn’t? Even if you saw him, do you think he’d marry a pathetic thing like you?” She sank back to the bed in tears. Little Ugly Girl sat huddled for a long time, listening to her sister howl and sob. Then she rose and said again, “It is my turn to visit the Hidden One.” Her sister stopped crying and stared in amazement.
Little Ugly Girl went to her father’s chest and took out an old pair of moccasins. She put them on her own small feet. Then she went out into the woods. She chose a birch tree and carefully stripped off the bark in a single sheet. From this she made a suit of clothes, which she put on in place of her rags. Then she started back through the village. “Look at Little Ugly Girl!” yelled a boy. “She’s dressed like a tree!”, “Hey, Little Ugly Girl,” a young man called, “are those moccasins big enough for you?”,“I don’t believe it!” an old woman said. “She’s on her way to the Hidden One!”, “Little Ugly One,” called a young woman, “did you cut off your hair to look pretty for him?” Ignoring their taunts and laughter, Little Ugly Girl walked on till she reached the cottage at the edge of the village. The Snotty One looked at the young woman with surprise, but she told her, “You are welcome...” as she snickered behind her breath. Little Ugly Girl helped prepare the evening meal. When the sun was nearly down, the Patient One led her to the lake. “My brother comes soon i think,” the Annoying One told her. “Do you see him?” Little Ugly Girl gazed along the shore. “I’m not sure . . . .” She listened for footsteps. All of a sudden she looked over to the right of the lake to see a creature who had tripped and fell over a fallen tree branch in the dark. Then her eyes lit in wonder. “Yes, I see him! But he looks like a little goat..?” The Snotty One looked at her curiously. “Psh.. What is his shoulder strap?”, “His shoulder strap is . . . a pink belt?..” The Snotty One’s eyes grew wide. “Wait.. And his bowstring?”, “He doesnt even have one.. its a broken plastic bow.” The Snotty One gasped. “Ugh, Fine.. Lets return.”
When they reached the cottage, the Snotty One took the strange clothes off Little Ugly Girl and brushed her hair clumps with a magic comb. It made the young woman’s hair grow quickly to her waist, ready for braiding. Then the Snotty One opened a chest and took out a beautiful wedding outfit. Little Ugly Girl had just put it on when a deep voice said, “Greetings, my sister.” Little turned to the entrance and stared at the ugly little fat goat wearing a pink belt and carrying a broken plastic bow. As their eyes met, she began to laugh. “Greetings, my brother,” said the Snotty One. “You are discovered!” The Hidden One then shouted "Oh Shit! Now Everyone is gonna know!" He rushed over and kneeled before the Little Ugly Girl “Don't tell anyone because then nobody will be scared of me!"
She ran to the town and told everyone she knew, they stormed the woods with pitchforks and torches. They found the little fat goat wearing a pink belt, and small broken plastic bow, and killed and ate him. The Little Ugly Girl had kept her beauty and nice clothes, the town praised her for now the town wouldnt be scared to enter the woods. The town renamed the Little Ugly Girl, "Beautiful Smart Girl" and she demanded that everyday her sister should get her hair cut by someone she picks in the town.
-The End
