The Sun, in fury at humanity, sent an illness to destroy them. In response the spirits called "Little Men" (Yunwi'tsunsdi or the "little people" of the AniYunWiya) transformed a man into a large snake called the Uk'tena and sent him to kill the Sun. Uk'tena eventually failed his mission to murder the Sun and a creature called Rattlesnake was sent in his stead. Uk'ten was both furious and envious at this changing of the guard. Due to his rage, the people became afraid of him and sealed him away in Galunlati, a great stone vault suspended high above water. Uk'tena cleverly left behind monsters similar to himself prior to his encapsulation. These wayward Uk'tena are said to reside in deep pools of water and lonely mountain passes.

The Cherokee legend describes the beast directly: "Those who know say the Uktena is a great snake, as large around as a tree trunk, with horns on its head, and a bright blazing crest like a diamond on its forehead, and scales glowing like sparks of fire. It has rings or spots of color along its whole length, and can not be wounded except by shooting in the seventh spot from the head, because under this spot are its heart and its life."

The blazing diamond nestled in its forehead is called Ulun'suti or "Transparent". Whoever can defeat the Uk'tena and retrieve the diamond is said to become the greatest worker of their tribe. The challenge is not so simple, the Uk'tena glows radiantly, and that glow is said to be so powerful that it draws warriors towards it. Being near such a vicious creature is inevitably fatal. Seeing the creature asleep also signifies certain death, not to the warrior, but to his family instead. As if this were not enough, the breath of the Uk'tena is so pestilential, that no living creature can survive should they inhale the tiniest bit of the foul air expelled by the Uk'tena.