In a mighty rage, the ong tried in vain to grasp him in his teeth, but the strong web between the bird's toes sheltered him.
Again and again the bird tried to use his horrid teeth, and each time his huge body would fall through the air in such twistings and contortions that those who watched below stared in bewilderment.

But what the watchers could not see was that every time the huge mouth opened to snap him, the young brave hurled a handful of poisoned arrowheads into the mouth and down the big throat, their sharp points cutting deep into the unprotected flesh.

The bird tried to dislodge him by rubbing his feet together, but the thong held firm.

Now it plunged headlong into the Lake, but its feet were so tied that it could not swim, and though it lashed the waters into foam with its great wings, and though the man was nearly drowned and wholly exhausted, the poison caused the frightened bird such agony that it suddenly arose and tried to escape by flying toward the center of the Lake.
The contest had lasted long and the darkness crept over the Lake, and into the darkness the bird vanished.
The women had been long in their huts ere the council fire was kindled and the warriors gravely seated themselves in its circle.

No such trifling event as the loss of a young brave could be allowed to interfere with so important an event, and from most of their minds he had vanished.