12. The Giant Woman. (First Version.)

12. THE GIANT WOMAN.

(First Version.)

The Giantess was all the time enslaving people. Whenever she saw a man, she would thus say to him: "Come here, my husband!" The people got tired of it when they heard about it. Whenever a man died, she would carry away the things that were put in his grave. Such was the custom M the Giantess. Whenever children played, she would (go) there amongst them. She would play a while, and would then pick out the children that had valuables around their necks. When she was about ready to go home, she would take hold of a boy and put him into a basket. (With this as) her pack, she would run. He (the boy) could not get out. With him she went back, and brought him home there. She had there a hole (as a) door. In the mornings they two usually slept, in the evenings they would sit up. Such (was) the custom of the Giantesses. ³

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One younger brother remained. He was dreaming continually. He was dreaming thus: "You shall pull the door (which is) a bunch of hard wood. The hard wood is amongst brick-weed. ¹ If you arrive there and pull the door, it will come open. In the evenings they catch clams, They bring them home and eat them. Thus (one) will say to (a boy): '(What a) surprisingly fat (clam), poor boy!' She will give it to him. The clam is (full of) sand; still she will give it to him. The child will not eat it. She will take it to him. 'Come close here, you poor boy!' Thus a Giantess will say to him. He will dodge. 'Let me feel of you!'" (In his dream) he saw his younger sister. Something was hanging from her ear. She had put her heart there. His sister was twisted to one side as he looked at her. Thus the sister said: 'My heart is caused to be there, that's the thing you are looking at. They two go to bed with their heads resting against each other. In the daytime they two sleep. They two warm themselves. At the edge of the fire they two warm themselves.' Thus the sister said. 'They two always (talk) thus: '(Come) close here, let me feel of you!' Thus the Giant women talk.' Thus the child (girl) spoke to him.`

Now, indeed, the child (boy) said to his father, "Let me go there!" Indeed, he went there. He arrived there, and saw the bunch of hard wood. It was amongst brick-weeds. When he saw it, he looked around in all directions. He was thinking thus: "My dream was just like this. I saw it thus." Indeed, he pulled the bunch of hard wood. He pulled it in all ways. He pulled it once. Indeed, it was a door. He looked down, and saw his younger brother. "This is I, O elder brother! Nothing has happened to me as yet." Thus he informed his elder brother. He looked at him from above. "What is the Giantess doing?' Thus said the younger brother. "There are two of them, p. 75 indeed."--"What are they two doing?"--"They two are sleeping. My sister's heart is hanging from her ear." Thus he said to his elder brother. "You must take care of yourself," said his elder brother. "I am going home. There is no way to go down. I will inform my father, and will bring several ladders." Thus the younger brother was talking. Again he shut the door there. "We will arrive in two days." Thus he said.

He went home again. Thus he was relating: "I saw my younger brother. I opened the door." Thus he said when he returned. The father said, "Indeed, it is so." They gathered pitch. Everybody was gathering that thing. Two days they were gathering that pitch. Thus the father said: "Now we will go there." They took along a ladder. Indeed, they arrived there. Indeed, he again opened the door. He saw his child below. "Father, I am still well." Thus spoke his child. "What are they (two) doing?"--"They are sleeping, indeed." Thus his child made it known (to him). He put down the ladder, and went down on it. The children were brought up.

Indeed, they two were asleep with their heads resting against each other. (They) quickly gathered the clothes, the money, the bows. They quickly put pitch below. Clear around they put the pitch. Their two dresses were (full of) pitch. They (dual) did not know it. They (dual) were sound asleep. Their (dual) hair was tied together. They two did not know it. Now (they) finished.

Now (they) lighted the pitch everywhere. Their (dual) house was full of pitch. It began to blaze everywhere. So then (they) went out. The door was shut again, and was made heavy by means of big stones. The people were standing there at the top of the door. The inside part of their entire house began to burn. Their two dresses began to burn. One Giantess jumped up when p. 77 it began to burn. "Why do you hold me back?"--"You, indeed, are fighting with me. Let me free!" As they were pulling each other, they came apart. (One) jumped towards the door. She jumped upwards. She bumped against the door as she jumped. Now the other one jumped upwards. "Why does it not come open as I go out?" Five times she jumped up. Still she could not go out. Both jumped up five times. The inside part burned entirely. They were watching the door. At the sixth time her heart went out. Her heart was beaten to pieces. Also the heart of the other one was beaten to pieces. Thus they said to (them): "You shall be nothing. The last generation shall see you. You shall do nothing to people."

The men took the children home. (One child's) heart was hanging on the ear. The boy was the only one (who was) all right. Thus the father was talking: "Suppose the thing that is hanging on the ear were cut off?" Indeed, it was cut off. No sooner was it cut off, than the child died. "It would have been good if it had not been cut off." Thus they were saying.

Now here it ends. Thus they tell the story about the Giant women.

Footnotes

71:3 The informant referred first to one giantess; later on, to two giantesses.

73:1 Genus and species unknown.