to
deceive him. He, however, understood the object.

He went fearlessly up to the lodge. They told him to commence the race
with the smallest of their number. The point to which they were to run
was a peeled tree towards the rising sun, and then back to the
starting-place, which was marked by a Chaunkahpee, or war-club, made of
iron. This club was the stake, and whoever won it was to use it in
beating the other's brains out. If he beat the first giant, he was to
try the second, and so on until they had all measured speed with him.
He won the first race by a dexterous use of the vine, and immediately
despatched his competitor, and cut off his head. Next morning he ran
with the second giant, whom he also outran, killed, and decapitated. He
proceeded in this way for five successive mornings, always conquering
by the use of his vine, cutting off the heads of the vanquished. The
survivor acknowledged his power, but prepared secretly to deceive him.
He wished him to leave the heads he had cut off, as he believed he
could again reunite them with the bodies, by means of one of their
_medicines_. White Feather insisted, however, in carrying all the heads
to his grandfather. One more contest was to be tried, which would
decide the victory; but, before going to the giant's lodge on the sixth
morning, he met his old counsellor in the woods, who was stationary. He
told him that he was about to be deceived. That he had never known any
other sex but his own; but that, as he went on his way to the lodge, he
would meet the most beautiful woman in the world. He must pay no
attention to her, but, on meeting her, he must wish himself changed
into a male elk. The transformation would take place immediately, when
he must go to feeding and not regard her.

He proceeded towards the lodge, met the female, and became an elk. She
reproached him for having turned himself into an elk on seeing her;
said she had travelled a great distance for the purpose of seeing him,
and becoming his wife. Now this woman was the sixth giant, who had
assumed this disguise; but Tau-Wau-Chee-Hezkaw remained in ignorance of
it. Her reproaches and her beauty affected him so much, that he wished
himself a man again, and he at once resumed his natural shape. They sat
down together, and he began to caress her, and make love to her. He
finally ventured to lay his head on her lap, and went to sleep. She
pushed his head aside at first, for the purpose of trying if he was
r