Once the daughter of the sun came to live among the Iroquois people, legend says, being born with a beauty exceeding that of all other human women combined. Not only a beautiful girl, then woman, she was compassionate and noble in spirit. However, the men around her were far from either. They left their wives and children to linger about the camp where Oniata lived, and they fought each other at the least pretext, claiming they fought for Oniata's favor.

When, finally, the Iroquois women complained about Oniata's presence among them, luring away their husbands, she explained to them sadly that she had never wanted the men's attentions. In order to ensure that the men would return to their families, she left the earth for good, returning to the sky and her father the sun. She did leave some of her beauty behind to remind the people of the qualities of compassion and nobility, though; the spring wildflowers, returning each year as good deeds return to grace their doers.

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