There was once a young woman who was very pretty. All the young men greatly admired her and wished her for their wife, but the young woman spurned all their advances and would have no suitor.
Seeing this, the animals, Tamakwa (Beaver), Shikak (Skunk), and Kukhus (Owl), held council about the pretty maiden. They said to each other, "I sure would like to have this woman for my wife."
Owl said, "If we try really hard, one of us will surely have this woman for a wife!"
"Owl you go first and and see this woman. Maybe she will desire to be your wife!" said Beaver and Skunk.
So Owl went to see the young woman. He asked her, "Would you come with me and be my wife?"
"You are far too ugly! I wouldn't have you! You have big eyes! No, I wouldn't have you for a husband!" replied the young woman.
So, his feelings hurt, Owl went sadly back to Beaver and Skunk. "That young woman wouldn't have me!" said Owl.
Next, Skunk went to see the pretty young woman. Upon meeting her, Skunk said, "Would you come with me and be my wife?"
"I wouldn't have you! You are way too ugly, and you stink! No, I wouldn't have you for a husband!" said the young woman.
So, Skunk went sadly back to the others, his self-esteem in tatters. "I, also, could not get this woman to be my wife!" bemoaned Skunk to Owl and Beaver.
Skunk and Owl talked it over and agreed, "There is nothing we can do to get this woman to be our wife."
But Beaver had an idea. He said, "I know how I can get that young woman to be my wife! Way over there in the creek where she gets water is a log she stands on, that runs into the creek. Now, if I go and gnaw that log nearly in two, when she goes to fetch water, she will fall into the creek. Then she will send for me so that I can help her. Maybe she will be thankful and choose to be my wife."
So Beaver went and chewed the log. Next morning when the young woman went to fetch water, she went out onto the log, which broke instantly; the pretty woman fell into the creek!
She cried out, "I wish that Beaver were here, he could swim out and help me!
Beaver heard her cries for help and he went over to save her. As he came up to her in the water, he asked her, "Will you come and be my wife?" But as with the others he too was insulted.
"I could never have you for a husband. You are ugly, your teeth are too broad and your tail is big and flat like a stirring paddle!" said the young woman.
With that, Beaver broke down in tears, and took off to tell his friends Owl and Skunk. He said, "That young woman has no respect for anyone. She insulted me and made fun of my tail, and she refuses to be my wife!"
In the meantime the pretty woman was carried away by the current down the creek, and she drowned, because no one would help her.