"Swift Water, his first wife, felt the black rage of hate and envy—and who could blame her? But Black Eagle had already given proof of his terrible outbursts of wrath and she dared not object. She suffered silently.
"Thus, many years passed. Swift Water gave Black Eagle a son, but only after Laughing Eyes had given birth to a beautiful babe, also a son, who had been named Natawara. Swift Water's son was named Black Fox.
"Both sons grew to sturdy manhood and gradually even Swift Water and Laughing Eyes learned to know each other. Some of the bitterness left the heart of Swift Water. Yet, her life was sad because Natawara was to succeed as chief instead of her own son, Black Fox.
"But sturdy though both sons were, there was a strange difference between the two. Could these both be sons of the same father? Black Fox from early youth loved the tales of combat, liked to hear of the victories of his illustrious fathers; and he would dream of the day when he too would go out and say, 'I am a Wah-hi-ti, a son of Black Eagle.'
"Natawara, however, was different. He loved to hear the wise men tell of the long ago, and yet it was not of combats that he sought to hear. Often he would look to the far west and say:
"'I would travel far. Over the many mountains I would roam; for the Great Spirit gives us but a short time and there is much to see.'
"'He will be a great man, a great chief,' said the wise men. But in their hearts was a dark doubt which they dared not voice, for the anger of Black Eagle was a thing of dread. And wherefore should they be the bearers of bad news?
"For Natawara had laughed at combats. 'Wherefore shall I kill?' said he. 'I would rather, far rather, seek the things of the world than death.'
"'A coward's speech,' the wise men whispered, one to the other. But word of their whisperings came to Black Fox. Then he showed some of the anger of his father.
"'No coward is Natawara. Who says so? I shall hear and the vengeance of Black Fox is not light.'