He who drank of it at midnight When the Harvest Moon was brightest, Using as a drinking-vessel Skull-bowl of his greatest rival Killed in open, honest combat, And by summer sunshine whitened, He gained youth perennial from it And the heart he wished to love him.
He who bathed within its waters, Having killed a dove while moaning, And had killed no other creature Since three crescent moons had rounded; Vowing to be kind and helpful To the sad and weary-hearted: He received the magic power To undo all spells of evil Which divided faithful lovers.
In this spring had bathed We-nau-don, And he held its secrets sacred; But a feeling ever moved him To make glad the heavy-hearted. So he showed unto O-kis-ko Where to find the magic water; With this counter-charm, he told him How to free the charmed Wi-no-na:
"In a shark's tooth, long and narrow In a closely wrought triangle, Set three mussel-pearls of purple, Smooth and polished with much rubbing. To an arrow of witch-hazel, New, and fashioned very slender, Set the shark's tooth, long and narrow, With its pearl-inlaid triangle. From the wing of living heron Pluck one feather, white and trusty; With this feather wing the arrow, That it swerve not as it flyeth. Fashioned thus with care and caution, Let no mortal eye gaze on it; Tell no mortal of your purpose; Secretly at sunset place it In the spring of magic water. Let it rest there through three sunsets, Then when sunrise gilds the tree-tops Take it dripping from the water, At the rising sun straight point it, While three times these words repeating: _Mussel-pearl arrow, to her heart go; Loosen the fetters which bind the White Doe; Bring the lost maiden back to O-kis-ko._ With this arrow hunt the White Doe, Have no timid fear of wounding; When her heart it enters boldly Chi-co's charm will melt before it."
Every word O-kis-ko heeded, Hope, once dead, now cheered his spirit. From the sea three pearls he gathered; From the thicket brought witch-hazel For the making of the arrow; From the heron's wing a feather Plucked to true its speed in flying. Patiently he cut and labored, As for love's sake man will labor; Shaped the arrow, new and slender, Set the pearls into the shark's tooth, Fastened firm the heron's feather, With a faith which mastered reason. In the magic spring he steeped it, Watching lest some eye should see it; Through three sunsets steeped and watched it; Three times o'er the charm repeated While the sunrise touched the tree-tops; Then prepared to test its power.