And the two great warring spirits
Stood with eyes fixed for a moment
As if each would rend the other.
By an impulse both relented;
Then they talked the matter over;
Each tried to convince the other;
Both, however, were determined,
And as they had met, they parted.
Chief Wah-tun-gah, young, ambitious,
Hastened back into his wigwam
Firmer yet in his decision

To befriend the pale-faced stranger
Who had brought him beads and trinkets,
Ear-bobs, paints and scarlet blankets,
Coffee, sugar and provisions,

Things that he had never tasted,
Things that he had never dreamed of.
Then, preparing for the council
Of his chiefs and braves and warriors,
He bedecked himself in splendor;
Filled his ears with silver ear-bobs,
On his breast a silver medal,

Girt his arms with silver bracelets,
Painted cheeks with rich vermillion,
On his brow a great war-bonnet
Made of gorgeous eagle feathers
Streaming to the ground behind him;
Leggings made of softest deer-skin,
Moccasins also to match them.
Then be-girdled with a blanket,
With a scarlet woolen blanket,
Marched he out into the sunshine;
Marched he to the council chamber,
There to greet his braves and warriors.
Never had a Kon-za Chieftain,
In the history of the nation,
Been arrayed in dazzling colors
Such as wore the great Wah-tun-gah
On this memorable occasion.

Women stood in awe and wonder

As they saw his towering figure
Move in majesty before them;
Children fled in mortal terror;
Others gazed on with amazement.

When he reached the council chamber
Strong men stood in fear and trembled
At the mighty transformation
In their chief, the great Wah-tun-gah.
Solemnly, he bade be seated

All the chiefs and braves and warriors
Who had come there at his bidding
To engage in solemn council.

Lighting then his pipe of red-stone,
Filled with powdered leaves of sumach,
Filled with fragrant red mum-be-gee,
Wafted first a puff to heaven,
Homage to the great Wah-kun-dah
For his favors to the Kon-zas.
Then he passed the pipe on from him
To another chief or warrior;

Other chiefs and Wah-kun-dah-gees
Also lighted pipes and passed them,
On from one unto another
As has been the Indian custom
Always at their feasts and councils.
Smoke to them is emblematic
Of their prayers to heaven ascending,
To their God, the great Wah-kun-dah,
In whom they are all believers.

As the pipe of peace was passing,
Chiefs and braves and all the warriors
Sat they all in perfect silence.

Then the great head chief, Wah-tun-gah,

Stood before the great assemblage,

Drew himself to fullest stature,

Folded gracefully his blanket

Underneath his arm-pits 'round him.

Then began he, slowly speaking:

"Ki-hè-ga and wah-si-si-ga Wah-di-an-gah, ne-kah-shin-gah

Wah-ko, shin-gah-shin-gah, zah-nee
I have called in august council,
All my brave and loyal people,
Harken to the words I utter:
I am chief of all the Kon-zas
As my father was before me,
As his father was before him,
I am of the royal house-hold.
I am chief because my birth-right
Makes me chief of all the Kon-zas!
"How!" with one accord they answered,
Meaning, "Yes, you have well spoken.
Then he told them of his triumphs;
Of his daring deeds of battle;
How when he was but a young man
He had slain a stealthy Pawnee
Sneaking through the grass at midnight
Like a snake to steal his pony.
As he spoke he grew in stature,
Fairly swelled with self-importance,
And his voice swelled in proportion,
Till it shook the very branches
Of the trees that stood around him.
Frequent interruptions told him
He was making an impression;
Thus encouraged, he proceeded,
Speaking on with graceful gestures
He had learned by intuition;
Gestures, which the child of nature
Learns without the aid of tutor;
Uses with the utmost freedom
When and where to be effective;
Suddenly across the woodland
Came the pale-face with companions,
From their boat upon the water,
Each one bearing with him presents
Which were placed before the chieftain;
Having been attracted thither

By the speech the chief was making,
Which resounded from the hill-sides,