The Pte Oyate were created by Skan to serve him and the other Tunkasilas. The Pte lived in the regions under the world. The eldest Pte, Ate, was revered as a father, and the other Pte obeyed him like children. Wa, who was also greatly respected, was made leader of the Pte.
One day Skan asked his close companion, Tate, to take on the form of a man and go among the Pte to see how they were doing. When he had learned everything, he was to return to the Tunkasilas.
When the Pte first saw this stranger, they were curious. Some wanted to banish him. Others wanted to adopt him. Wa suggested they set up a council of the oldest and wisest Pte to discuss the situation. They built a lodge and chose their oldest and wisest, with Ate sitting in the chief's place.This was the first council ever.
Ate said," A stranger is a guest and you must treat him as such until he is proven an enemy. In this way you will do service for the Tunkasilas." Tate was welcomed by the Pte and called Kola (friend). Tate lived as Kola among the Pte, never revealing his true identity. He won their respect, and he also began to love them, especially Ite, the daughter of Wa and Kan.
One day Ate said to Kola, "I am weak and my spirit wants to leave my body. Why don't you marry a Pte woman and have children? Then you would be one of us, and you could become Itacan (Chief)." Kola finally had to admit to Ate that he was one of the Tunkasilas and that, although he loved Ite, he could not have her as his wife unless Skan approved.
Tate returned to Skan to tell him of the Pte. He also confessed to Skan that he had fallen in love with Ite. Skan told Tate that he could marry Ite, but he would have to remain human until their children had grown and Ite was no longer in his lodge. Tate and Ite might have been married in a matter of days if Gnas hadn't entered the picture. The mischief started when Gnas went to his mother, Unk, telling her he could increase her power in the world of the Pte Oyate by teaching them folly and by spreading ambition, greed and friction among an these happy people.
Gnas brought Iya into the scheme. Iya, was always hungry, and Gnas promised him that if he came to the lower world he could have all the food he wanted from the Pte storehouse. So they both came to the world of the Pte. Iya hid while Gnas distracted them by appearing as Ksapela (the heyoka). He amused them with his antics. However, Tate/Kola was also there and warned the people that they should beware. Ksapela called Kola a liar, and now the Pte didn't know who to believe.
Ksapela suggested that they let Ite decide. Ite appeared before Ksapela and Kola, and after listening to them both, couldn't decide who was right. The Pte argued among themselves. The younger Pte followed Ksapela and went off to have fun. Ksapela told them that he was hungry, and the young Pte went to get some of their stored food for him. But it had been stolen....by Iya.
When Wa heard about this, he didn't know how they would hold their next feast for the Tunkasilas. Ksapela told them that he would find the thief, and the Pte could have revenge. The Pte had never heard of revenge before, so Ksapela explained that it was getting back at someone who has wronged you.
Ate, when he saw what was happening to his once joyous people, begged his nagi (spirit) to leave his body. It did, and he died, but his nagi had nowhere to go so it stayed nearby.
When the Tunkasilas came for their feast, they were told what had happened, including the fact that Ate's nagi was lingering nearby. Skan told them that Ate could still advise them through the voice of another. Wa was selected to speak for Ate, and Kola made him a Wapiya Wichasa (medicine man) so that he could receive Ate's words. Kola then informed the Pte that, as punishment for their folly, theTunkasilas would no longer speak to them directly, but would speak to them only through Wa.
Kola made Wa promise not to deceive his people, or else theTunkasilas would reject him and he would be shunned by his people. He then made the Pte swear that they would accept Wa's words as messages coming from the Tunkasilas.
Gnas returned to Unk and told her what he had done to the Pte, and she was very pleased. He then told her his scheme for kidnapping Ite. Unk was delighted. So Gnas and Iya, who was hungry again, returned to the Pte. This time Gnas disguised himself as a handsome stranger named Yuzan. He told Iya to hide in a cave while he tricked the Pte and stole more food.
Gnas/Yuzan went to the Pte and claimed to be from a land where his mother ruled and that he was looking for a companion. He said that if he took a Pte as his wife, his mother would offer the people her favors. Thus began the competition between Kola and Yuzan to marry Ite.
Ite went to her mother to help her choose between the two suitors. Kan said she'd dreamed Ite's children would be wakan (sacred). But this information was of no help to Ite, so she went to her father, Wa. He was very wise and pointed out that Kola seemed to offer a more secure and stable future than the carefree and irresponsible Yuzan.
Ite realized that Wa was right. She decided to marry Kola, and at the moment she decided, she realized that she actually did love him. When Yuzan realized that he had lost Ite to Kola, he decided to make his move right away. He asked Ite to take one final good-bye walk, and she agreed. After Yuzan and Ite left, Kan, who was a seer, had a vision of danger and sent Wa and Kola after them. Fearing the worst, Kola cried out to Skan for help, and Skan sent Wakinyan.
Meanwhile, Yuzan and Ite had arrived near Iya's hiding place.Yuzan asked one last time if Ite would marry him, but she again refused, saying she was Kola's woman. So at Yuzan's signal, Iya came out of hiding and grabbed her.
She might never have been seen again if Kola and Wa hadn't appeared at that very moment. When Yuzan saw them he ran fled, but Iya turned and knocked Kola to the ground. At that moment, Wakinyan arrived and drove Iya back, giving Kola a chance to carry Ite to safety.
When the excitement died down, Kola and Ite were married.
Later, Ite gave birth to four sons all at the same time. The people rejoiced and prepared a feast. During the feast, Kola suggested that the Pte Oyate select an Itacan (leader). The Pte wanted Kola, but since he was really a Tunkasila only temporarily in human form, he could not accept.
Kola said that since Wa was wapiya wichasa and spoke the words of the Tunkasilas to the people, he could also speak the words of the people to the Tunkasilas. The people liked this idea, and Wa was made Itacan of the Pte Oyate.