An Indian was alone in the thick woods when he heard a strange sound, and looking sharply through the branches and leaves saw a large bird. It had no feathers. It was covered with wampum.
The warrior made no noise. He ran back to the village and told his chief. He was believed, for no one dared to tell false things to the chief.
A great council was called. The warriors were told that whoever should bring the bird into the camp would win a great prize, and that prize was the daughter of the head chief.
A hundred warriors took their bows and arrows and went softly to the thick woods where the wampum-bird was resting. It had flown to the top of the tallest tree. They knew it was a spirit bird that had lost its way.
Many arrows hit the bird, and many strings of fine wampum fell to the ground. Some picked these up [[201]]and ran away, for they were rich now, and did not care for the prize; but, when they reached the village, the wampum turned to turkey feathers in their hands. They hid themselves in their wigwams. They were ashamed of their greed.
The warriors who stayed and shot at the bird gave great war whoops, but the bird did not fly away, nor was it frightened at any noise they made.
A little Indian boy from another tribe was hunting in the woods. His father had been killed in battle. His mother was hungry, and he had gone out to get meat for her. He heard the war whoops of the warriors, but he was not afraid. He came and watched them shoot at the bird.
“Let me shoot,” said the little boy. The warriors were very angry, but the head chief said, “Let him shoot.”
The warriors waited, and the boy shot his arrow. The bird fell to the ground close by the boy. He gave the splendid wampum-bird to the head chief.
The boy was married to the head chief’s beautiful daughter the next day. He was now a chief’s son, and his own mother was hungry no more.