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her denim overalls and red plaid shirt. A red silk kerchief kept her shiny black hair in place. Only her short straight bangs showed. Michiko was used to seeing her mother in an apron, but not her aunt.
    The two women stared down at the large galvanized tub in front of them with their hands on their hips.
    As Michiko approached, she stepped on a branch, hidden by pine needles. It made a loud crack, and both women looked up.
    â€œAhh, the princess is awake,” Sadie said. “But you are not Princess Minnehaha, a true daughter of the forest.” She lifted a finger to her lips. “You make too much noise when you walk.”
    â€œWhat are you doing?” Michiko asked, ignoring her aunt’s attempt at humour. She stared into the tub.
    â€œDiapers,” her mother responded as she picked up the tin bucket at her feet and dribbled water down the side of the washboard. “We are washing Hiro’s diapers.”
    Sadie threw in a large yellow brick of soap, but it did not sink to the bottom as Michiko expected. “The water is still cold,” Sadie complained as she swirled it around in the water. “We should have heated it longer.”
    â€œWe can do that tomorrow,” Eiko said. “Let’s get these done, or Hiro won’t have any diapers at all.”
    Sadie took one of the diapers from the small basket on the ground. She plunged it in and out. Holding the yellow brick, she rubbed the two together. “Too bad you didn’t ship the washing machine,” she said as she plunged the diaper in again, “instead of the sewingmachine.” She rubbed the diaper up and down the washboard, plunged it in once again and gave it a hard wring. Then she handed the white twist to Eiko.
    Eiko plunged the diaper up and down in the bucket. She too gave it a hard wring. Then she walked to the rope and draped the diaper over it.
    â€œIs Hiro awake?” she asked.
    Michiko shook her head.
    â€œI’ll go in,” Eiko said, removing her apron. “You can take over the rinsing.” She draped her apron over a branch.
    Michiko couldn’t believe her ears. What did her mother want her to do?
    Auntie Sadie held out the white twisted roll. “Come on,” she said. “You’ll get the hang of it in no time.”
    Michiko put two fingers into the pail of water and quickly pulled them out. Aunt Sadie was right. The water was freezing.
    â€œI can’t wash clothes in this skirt,” she complained. “I’m not even allowed to play in it. It’s for school.”
    Sadie laughed aloud. “School?” she echoed. She tossed the diaper into the bucket. Then she grabbed her sister’s apron from the branch. “Raise your arms.”
    Michiko obeyed.
    Sadie wrapped the apron around her chest. She tied it at the back then in the front. “Put it in fast,” her aunt directed. Then her voice softened. “I know the water is cold.”
    Michiko plunged in her hands. She swished the diaper about, then she pulled it up out of the water. She swished it around again. She thought her hands would turn blue, but they only went bright red. She held thediaper over the bucket and let it drip.
    Her aunt snatched it up. She gave it a good hard twist, and water streamed out. Then she handed Michiko the twisted roll.
    Michiko took it to the clothesline. She tried to arrange the diaper over the rope the same way as the one beside it. It almost fell into the dirt, but she caught it in time. She flipped it across the rope. Then she wrapped her hands in the hem of the apron and held them between her knees to warm them.
    On the way back, Michiko stepped on the same stick, and it cracked again. The stick looked like a large fork. Michiko picked it up and stripped off the bark. She wiped it on her apron and stuck it in the pail, using it to swirl the diaper.
    â€œGood thinking, princess,” her aunt complimented.
    Michiko was hanging the third diaper when