Chapters One through Three Summary

This novel takes the reader into the lives and customs of the Dakota women, as one watches young Waterlily grow from a young child into a woman. The journey Waterlily takes as she becomes a wife and widow and finally finds her true love, is shown, giving the reader insight into the daily life of Dakota women.

In chapter one, Blue Bird and the rest of the camp circle are moving the camp, and Blue Bird walks off by herself to have her baby, a daughter which she names Waterlily. Blue Bird gives her new daughter this name because the place where she is born is near the waterlilies and Blue Bird thinks her child's face is as beautiful as the waterlilies. As soon as Blue Bird has given birth, she wraps the baby up and changes...