Atondido Stories
and your children for ever and ever,” said the deep voice sol-
emnly.
The fisherman cast his net where the river giant commanded,
and immediately it was so full of fish that the man could hardly
draw it out of the water. Three times he drew out his net, so full
that it was in danger of breaking. “Truly this was a fortunate bit
of business,” said the man. “Here I have fish enough to feed my
family and all I can sell in addition.”
As the fisherman approached his house with his enormous
catch of fish one of the children came running to meet him. “O
father, guess what we have at our house which we did not have
when you went away,” said the child.
“A new puppy,” replied her father.
“O no, father,” replied the child. “You have not guessed right
at all. It is a new baby brother.”
The poor fisherman burst into tears. “What shall I do! What
shall I do!” he sobbed. “I dare not break my vow to the river gi-
ant.”
The fisherman’s wife was heartbroken when she heard about
the business which her husband had transacted with the river gi-
ant. However she could think of no way to escape from keeping
the contract which he had made. She kissed the tiny babe good-
bye and gave it her blessing. Then the fisherman took it down to
the river bank and threw it into the river at the exact spot from
which the deep voice had come.
There in the depths of the river the river giant was waiting to
receive the new born babe. He took the little one into his palace
of gold and silver and mother-of-pearl with ornaments of dia-
monds, and there the baby received excellent care.
Time passed and the little boy grew into a big boy. At last he
was fifteen years old and a handsome lad indeed, tall and
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