Atondido Stories
him, and killed his brother with a blow. Then he went to sleep
again. When the boy heard him snoring, he took the third stone
from his pocket. At once it grew to great size and weight, and he
hurled it with all his force at the giant. Again the giant sat up
with great staring eyes, rubbing the lump on his head. He was
now in a great rage. "My brothers have plotted to kill me," he
yelled, and seizing his axe he killed his remaining brother with a
blow. Then he went to sleep, and the boy slipped from the cave,
first gathering up the three stones, which were now of their usu-
al small size.
The next morning when the giant went to get water from the
stream, the boy hid in the trees and began to cry loudly. The gi-
ant soon discovered him and asked, "Why are you crying?" "I
have lost my way," said the boy, "my parents have gone and left
me. Please take me into your service, for I would like to work for
such a kind handsome man, and I can do many things." The gi-
ant was flattered by what the boy said, and although he liked to
eat little children, he thought, "Now that I am alone, I ought to
have a companion, so I will spare the boy's life and make him
my servant." And he took the boy back to his cave, and said,
"Cook my dinner before I come home. Make some good stew, for
I shall be very hungry."
When the giant went into the forest the boy prepared the
evening meal. He cut up a great store of deer meat and put it in a
large pot bigger than a hogshead, and made a good meat stew.
When the giant came home in the evening he was very hungry,
and he was well pleased to see the big pot filled with his favour-
ite food. He seated himself on one side of the pot, and the boy
seated himself on the other side, and they dipped their spoons
into the big dish. And the boy said, "We must eat it all up so that
I can clean the pot well and ready for the corn mush we will
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