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it。 Can't you climb up and get it for me？〃 The young man； pitying
the old fellow； proceeded to climb the tree； when the old man
stopped him； saying： 〃Grandson； you have on such fine clothes； it
is a pity to spoil them； you had better take them off so as not to
spoil the fine porcupine work on them。〃 The young man took off his
fine clothes and climbed up into the tree； and securing
the chicken； threw it down to the old man。 As the young man was
scaling down the tree； the old man said： 〃Iyashkapa； iyashkapa；〃
（stick fast； stick fast）。 Hearing him say something； he asked；
〃What did you say； old man？〃 He answered； 〃I was only talking to
myself。〃 The young man proceeded to descend； but he could not
move。 His body was stuck fast to the bark of the tree。 In vain
did he beg the old man to release him。 The old Unktomi； for he it
was； only laughed and said： 〃I will go now and kill the evil
spirits； I have your wonderful bow and arrows and I cannot miss
them。 I will marry the chief's daughter； and you can stay up in
that tree and die there。〃
So saying； he put on White Plume's fine clothes； took his bow and
arrows and went to the village。 As White Plume was expected at any
minute； the whole village was watching for him； and when Unktomi
came into sight the young men ran to him with a painted robe； sat
him down on it and slowly raising him up they carried him to the
tent of the chief。 So certain were they that he would kill the
evil spirits that the chief told him to choose one of the daughters
at once for his wife。 （Before the arrival of White Plume； hearing
of him being so handsome； the two girls had quarreled over which
should marry him； but upon seeing him the younger was not anxious
to become his wife。） So Unktomi chose the older one of the
sisters； and was given a large tent in which to live。 The younger
sister went to her mother's tent to live； and the older was very
proud； as she was married to the man who would save the nation from
starvation。 The next morning there was a great commotion in camp；
and there came the cry that the white buffalo was coming。 〃Get
ready； son…in…law； and kill the buffalo；〃 said the chief。
Unktomi took the bow and arrows and shot as the buffalo passed； but
the arrow went wide off its mark。 Next came the eagle； and again
he shot and missed。 Then came the rabbit； and again he missed。
〃Wait until tomorrow； I will kill them all。 My blanket caught in
my bow and spoiled my aim。〃 The people were very much
disappointed； and the chief； suspecting that all was not right；
sent for the young man who had visited Dead Shot's tepee。 When the
young man arrived； the chief asked： 〃Did you see White Plume when
you went to Dead Shot's camp？〃 〃Yes； I did； and ate with him many
times。 I stayed at his father's tepee all the time I was there；〃
said the young man。 〃Would you recognize him if you saw him
again？〃 asked the chief。 〃Any one who had but one glimpse of White
Plume would surely recognize him when he saw him again； as he is
the most handsome man I ever saw；〃 said the young man。
〃Come with me to the tent of my son…in…law and take a good look at
him； but don't say what you think until we come away。〃 The two
went to the tent of Unktomi； and when the young man saw him he knew
it was not White Plume； although it was White Plume's bow and
arrows that hung at the head of the bed； and he also recognized the
clothes as belonging to White Plume。 When they had returned to the
chief's tent； the young man told what he knew and what he thought。
〃I think this is some Unktomi who has played some trick on White
Plume and has taken his bow and arrows and also his clothes； and
hearing of your offer； is here impersonating White Plume。 Had
White Plume drawn the bow on the buffalo； eagle and rabbit today；
we would have been rid of them； so I think we had better scare this
Unktomi into telling us where White Plume is；〃 said the young man。
〃Wait until he tries to kill the witches again tomorrow；〃 said the
chief。
In the meantime the younger daughter had taken an axe and gone into
the woods in search of dry wood。 She went quite a little distance
into the wood and was chopping a dry log。 Stopping to rest a
little she heard some one saying： 〃Whoever you are； come over here
and chop this tree down so that I may get loose。〃 Going to where
the big tree stood； she saw a man stuck onto the side of the tree。
〃If I chop it down the fall will kill you；〃 said the girl。 〃No；
chop it on the opposite side from me； and the tree will fall that
way。 If the fall kills me； it will be better than hanging up here
and starving to death；〃 said White Plume； for it was he。
The girl chopped the tree down and when she saw that it had not
killed the man； she said： 〃What shall I do now？〃 〃Loosen the bark
from the tree and then get some stones and heat them。 Get some
water and sage and put your blanket over me。〃 She did as told and
when the steam arose from the water being poured upon the heated
rocks； the bark loosened from his body and he arose。 When he stood
up； she saw how handsome he was。 〃You have saved my life；〃 said
he。 〃Will you be my wife？〃 〃I will；〃 said she。 He then told her
how the old man had fooled him into this trap and took his bow and
arrows； also his fine porcupine worked clothes； and had gone off；
leaving him to die。 She； in turn； told him all that had happened
in camp since a man； calling himself White Plume； came there and
married her sister before he shot at the witches； and when he came
to shoot at them； missed every shot。 〃Let us
make haste； as the bad Unktomi may ruin my arrows。〃 They
approached the camp and whilst White Plume waited outside； his
promised wife entered Unktomi's tent and said： 〃Unktomi； White
Plume is standing outside and he wants his clothes and bow and
arrows。〃 〃Oh； yes； I borrowed them and forgot to return them； make
haste and give them to him。〃
Upon receiving his clothes； he was very much provoked to find his
fine clothes wrinkled and his bow twisted； while the arrows were
twisted out of shape。 He laid the clothes down； also the bows and
arrows； and passing his hand over them； they assumed their right
shapes again。 The daughter took White Plume to her father's tent
and upon hearing the story he at once sent for his warriors and had
them form a circle around Unktomi's tent； and if he attempted to
escape to catch him and tie him to a tree； as he （the chief） had
determined to settle accounts with him for his treatment of White
Plume； and the deception employed in winning the chief's eldest
daughter。 About midnight the guard noticed something crawling
along close to the ground； and seizing him found it was Unktomi
trying to make his escape before daylight； whereupon they tied him
to a tree。 〃Why do you treat me thus；〃 cried Unktomi； 〃I was just
going out in search of medicine to rub on my arrows； so I can kill
the witches。〃 〃You will need medicine to rub on yourself when the
chief gets through with you；〃 said the young man who had
discovered that Unktomi was impersonating White Plume。
In the morning the herald announced that the real White Plume had
arrived； and the chief desired the whole nation to witness his
marksmanship。 Then came the cry： 〃The White Buffalo comes。〃
Taking his red arrow； White Plume stood ready。 When the buffalo
got about opposite him； he let his arrow fly。 The buffalo bounded
high in the air and came down with all four feet drawn together
under its body； the red arrow having passed clear through the
animal； piercing the buffalo's heart。 A loud cheer went up from
the village。
〃You shall use the hide for your bed；〃 said the chief to White
Plume。 Next came a cry； 〃the eagle； the eagle。〃 From the north
came an enormous red eagle。 So strong was he； that as he soared
through the air his wings made a humming sound as the rumble of
distant thunder。 On he came； and just as he circled the tent of
the chief； White Plume bent his bow； with all his strength drew the
arrow back to the flint point； and sent the blue arrow on its
mission of death。 So swiftly had the arrow passed through the
eagle's body that； thinking White Plume had missed； a great wail
went up from the crowd； but when they saw the eagle stop in his
flight； give a few flaps of his wings； and then fall with a heavy
thud into the center of the village； there was a greater cheer than
before。 〃The red eagle shall be used to decorate the seat of honor
in your tepee；〃 said the chief to White Plume。 Last came the white
rabbit。 〃Aim good； aim good； son…in…law；〃 said the chief。 〃If you
kill him you will have his skin for a rug。〃 Along came the white
rabbit； and White Plume sent his arrow in search of rabbit's heart；
which it found； and stopped Mr。 Rabbit's tricks forever。
The chief then called all of the people together and before them
all took a hundred willow