Theodore Ouedraogo

Zena, the Little Orphan Girl Theodore Ouedraogo

Zena, a little girl, loses her mother. Her father remarries a woman named Wildy, who gives birth to a baby girl, Sally. The woman, who is supposed to be a good mom to the two children, mistreats Zena while admiring Sally. One day, the woman sends Zena to wash a dish in the Mississippi River. There, Providence rewards Zena for bravely bearing her misfortunes, filling her with wealth. Jealous, Wildy sends her own daughter to wash a dish in the river. Providence also rewards Sally but with great torment. The lesson of the tale is that we should not treat our children differently. All children deserve our attention and love.