"Come here, you who are destined to wear the White Feather. You do not wear it, yet, but you are worthy of it. Return home and take a short nap. You will dream of hearing a voice, which will tell you to rise and smoke. You will see in your dream a pipe, a smoking-sack, and a large white feather. When you awake you will find these articles. Put the feather on your head, and you will become a great hunter, a great warrior, and a great man, able to do anything. As a proof that these things shall come to pass, when you smoke, the smoke will turn into pigeons."
The voice then informed the youth who he was, and made known the character of his grandfather, who was imposing upon him to serve his own ends.
The voice-spirit then caused a vine to be laid at his side, and told him that he was now of an age to avenge the wrongs of his kindred.
"When you meet your enemy," the spirit added, "you will run a race with him. He will not see the vine, because it is enchanted. While you are running, you will throw it over his head and entangle him, so that you will win the race."
Long before this speech was ended the youth had turned to the quarter from which the voice proceeded, and was astonished to behold a man; as yet he had never seen any human being besides his grandfather.
As he looked more keenly, he saw that this man, who had the looks of great age, was wood from the breast downward, and that he appeared to be fixed in the earth. As the youth's eye dwelt upon this strange being, the countenance by degrees faded away, and when he advanced to the spot whence it had addressed him, it was gone.
He returned home; slept, and in the midst of his slumbers, as from the hollow of the air, heard the voice; wakened and found the promised gifts. It was all just as the old man had said. The grandfather on awakening was greatly surprised to find the youth with a white feather on his forehead, and to see flocks of pigeons flying out of the lodge. He then remembered the old tradition, and knowing that now the day had come when he should lose control of his charge, he bitterly bewailed the hour.
Possessed of his three magic gifts, the young man departed the next morning, to seek his enemies and to demand revenge.
The six giants lived in a very high lodge in the middle of a wood. He traveled on with good heart till he reached this lodge, where he found that his coming had been made known by the little spirits who carry the news. The giants hastened out and gave a cry of joy as they saw him drawing near. "When he approached within hail, they began to make sport of him, saying:
"Here comes the little man with the white feather, who is to achieve such wonderful wonders."