Sinopa
Legacy Name: Sinopa

I was stolen, taken from my parents. My father tried to save my life, I fear the worst for him, it was his long time best friend that took me away, how could Gib do that to my Daddy? "I want my mommy," I scream out in the night. I smell the Sea, oh no I can't swim I never learned, what's going to happen to me? Surely Gib wouldn't take me to that witch, I knew something was not right by the way he smelled tonight when he appeared at our front door. I feel like I'm swaying, oh no, we are on his ship, he is taking me to her! What am I going to do?

"Husssh little one, you belong to me now. I've always fancied you, and you must admit you fancy me as well. We will never be apart again, you shall become my Dark Goddess and I the Lord of the Seas, together Sinopa we will come to rule this world!" Gib evil laughter was caught by the wind on the water. She would never be the same after tonight....She was lost to them...

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HISTORY OF SINOPA (nothing to do with the storyline above)

Native American - Blackfoot - The Story of Ursa Major

In a camp there once lived a family of the father, mother, seven brothers and two sisters. The brothers and sisters were all grown up except for one brother and one sister, who were small children. One day, the six older brothers went on a long hunting trip. While they were away, the eldest sister fell in love with a bear. The girl's father was very unhappy and with the help from other men in the tribe, they chased and slew the bear. Then, the girl herself changed into a bear and to avenge her husband's death she attacked her parents and the other tribal members. She killed everyone but her youngest brother and sister who had hidden in their wigwam. The little brother possessed magic and was able to make it so their sister could not enter their home. The bear-woman however vowed to get them.

The two young children, the boy Okinai and the girl, Sinopa were horrified at what their sister had done and they knew they had to be very careful lest she catch them. One day, little Sinopa snuck down to the river to fetch some water when she met up with her six older brothers returning from their hunt. She told them everything that had happened and they assured her they knew of a way for them all to escape. They collected up a large number of prickly pears and told Sinopa to go home and scatter the pears all around the wigwam, leaving only a very narrow path along which she could find her way out. Late that night, Sinopa and Okinai crept out of the tent following the tiny path until they reached the spot where their older brothers waited for them.

But the bear-woman had heard them go and she rushed after them and suddenly became caught amongst the prickly pears. Bear-woman howled with pain and anger but quickly transformed herself into a bear so that she could run right through the prickly pears after her siblings.

Little Okanai saw the bear coming and shot an arrow which immediately put them all as far ahead of their sister as the arrow had flown. But still the bear was gaining on them. Then Okanai waved a feather and at once, thick, tangled bushes sprang up behind them, but the bear's magic cleared a path through them.

Finally, Okanai waved his hand and a huge tree shot up from the dirt beside them. The eight terrified people scrambled quickly up into the branches but they soon found they were not safe yet! The bear climbed the tree herself and quickly dragged four of her victims down when Okanai called on his very strongest magic! One by one, Okanai shot eight arrows into the sky and with each shot, one of the children soared up into the sky. First was little Sinopa, then the six older brothers and finally Okanai himself.

As they reached the sky, they each turned into a sky and there they are today as the group of stars we call the Big Dipper. The four stars which make up the bowl of the dipper are the four that the bear-woman had pulled from the tree. The three stars in the handle are those who were still hanging in the branches and the tiny companion star to Mizar is little Sinopa huddling close to one of her brothers!