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.
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