English Translation


2. The Killing of the Giant
Lawrence Mithlo

(2.1)
When Child of the Water was still growing up, Killer of Enemies was already a man.
He often hunted.
He killed [many] deer.
But just as he was killing the deer, the Giant would come to him.
He would take it away from him.
[Having] nothing, Killer of Enemies would [then] come back home.
He went about weeping because of the Giant.

(2.2)
And now Child of the Water had become stronger.
He spoke thus to his mother, White Painted Woman:
"My mother, make arrows for me. I'll go hunting with my brother."
he said to his mother.

(2.3)
Then White Painted Woman spoke thus to her son:
"My child, what you say cannot be done. That one who is called Giant will kill you. That one kills [everyone]."
she said to him.

(2.4)
In spite of this, Child of the Water spoke thus to his mother:
"Hurry! In spite of that, I shall go hunting with my brother."
he said
"So hurry! Make arrows for me."
he said to his mother.

(2.5)
Then, because he spoke in this way, his mother, because of that, wept.

(2.6)
Then, [though] his mother did not want him [to go] and was very much afraid on his account, he started off to hunt with Killer of Enemies.

(2.7) The two went out yonder.
At a place further on, they were hunting
They killed a deer
They [began] to butcher it.
They [finished] butchering it.
They had built a fire.
They had put meat on the fire.
They had cooked the meat
They had pulled up [some] grass.
They had put it down right there.
On it, they had put the meat
He and Killer of Enemies had sat down to it

(2.8) Just as they had started to eat it, the Giant came up to them.
Then Killer of Enemies, as soon as he saw the Giant, burst out crying.
Weeping, he sat [there].

(2.9) Then Child of the Water spoke thus to Killer of Enemies:
"My brother, why [do] you weep? Stop, do not cry."
he said to him.

(2.10) Then Killer of Enemies spoke thus to Child of the Water:
"My brother, I cry because of that evil person who is coming to us."
he said.

(2.11) Then, as the two who had sat down to it began to eat the meat, he took it away from them.
"You have that which I will eat."
said he who is called Giant to them

(2.12) Then Child of the Water spoke thus to the Giant:
"I have prepared that which you will make your excrement."
he said to him.

(2.13) Then the Giant took the meat away from him.
He put it down under the place over there where he sat.
[Child of the Water] took it away from him.
[Giant] took it away from him.
[Child of the Water] took it away from him.
[Giant] took it away from him.
In just this manner, they passed it between themselves exactly four times

(2.14 Then the Giant spoke thus to Child of the Water:
"Where are your arrows, you [who] are fierce?"
he said to him.

(2.15) Then Child of the Water picked up his arrows.2
"These -- these [are] my arrows."
he said to him.

(2.16) Then the Giant spoke thus to Child of the Water:
"Well then, hand them here. I'll look at them for you."
he said to him.

(2.17) Then he gave them to him.
Then the Giant rubbed the arrows on his anus.
He threw them away without looking to see where [they went].

(2.18) Then Child of the Water spoke similarly to the Giant:
"You! Where are your arrows?"
he said to him.

(2.19) The Giant pointed out some big pine logs which were lying at his side.
"These -- these are my arrows."
he said to Child of the Water.

(2.20) Then Child of the Water arose.
He rubbed his anus on the pine logs [Giant] had told him [were] his arrows.

(2.21) Then Child of the Water and the Giant quarrelled with each other.
Killer of Enemies had long ago become a man but, afraid and crying, he sat next to [Child of the Water].

(2.22) Then, finally, the Giant spoke thus to Child of the Water:
"Well, then, let's shoot at each other. [That] will show if you are so brave."
he said to Child of the Water.

(2.23)
"All right."
said Child of the Water to him.

(2.24) Then the Giant spoke thus to Child of the Water:
"You first -- stand [over there] for me. I'll shoot at you first."
he said to him.

(2.25) Then Child of the Water:
"All right."
he said to him.

(2.26) And then he stood up for him.
And the Giant shot at him four times.
He missed him every time.2

(2.27) Then Child of the Water spoke thus to the Giant:
"Now you-you stand up for me."
he said to him.

(2.28) The Giant stood up for him.
The Giant's coat [was] four layers of flint.
He was not afraid of him.

(2.29) Child of the Water shot at him.
The topmost [layer of] his flint coat slid off him.
The next layer, as he shot at him again, this one, slid off him also.
He shot at him again for the third time.
The third time, his coat again slid off him.
Then his heart [could] clearly [be seen] beating.
[Child of the Water] shot at him again for the fourth time.
He shot [the arrow] right into the center of his heart.

(2.30) Then the Giant spoke thus:
"What has that which cannot be seen done to me?"
he said.

(2.31) Then Child of the Water spoke thus to Killer of Enemies:
"Run away! He's starting to fall! Quickly, [or] he will fall on you!"
he said to him.3

(2.32) Then Killer of Enemies was happy.
He danced around and around.

(2.33) The deer which they had killed they carried back to White Painted Woman.
She was happy.
She danced around and around.
"My son, that is good!"
said White Painted Woman to him.
When the two had gone out there, she had not expected them [to come back] alive.
They had come back to her.
They had brought [a deer] for her.
So she was happy.


Ethnological Notes
Morris Opler



2.1 The arrows of Child of the Water are often described as made of grama-grass.

2.2 One version has it that Child of the Water swallows a bead of turquoise each time Giant shoots, and the arrows of the Giant are splintered in mid-air. Others say that Child of the Water recited certain prayers which caused the arrows to miss their mark. Still others say that Child of the Water, aided by lightning, blew outward each time and shattered the arrows. [See Mescalero text 8].

2.3 Very often informants name some locality where the bones of the Giant, now turned to rock can be seen to this day. Lava beds and masses of dark or reddish rock are pointed out as the coagulated blood of the Giant. The Giant is said to have been so tall that his outstretched body covered four mountain ridges.