[North Wind's Challenge]
I shall now give you of the Story of the Hairy Breasts. Near the days
of _Noah_, nations were few and small. Wee-suck-ā-jāāk (Noah, I shall
call him for abbreviation sake) had a son, as I told you before, whose
name was Nay-hân-nee-mis [Nayhanimis]. Being strait'ned for provisions,
he went out to angle with some of the Hairy-Breasts. They came to a
lake, pierced several holes, but the North (or North Wind, as you chuse)
being envious of Nayhanimis froze the water down to the very ground so
that in the deepest parts they found but earth. And after much
digging, at last [they] reached the bottom. But behold that also was
frozen--and who knows to what depth in the Earth!
Finding this to be the case Nayhanimis, addressed his friends thus.
I see this is the doing of the North Wind. (Now by rights
the North Wind ought to have been his maternal Grand Father--but
what cannot envy do?) He is envious of us and wants to make
us die of hunger. But he shall not! I have to propose to you
to cut off my head, rip up my body, beginning at the throat.
You must not hurt nor break any single one of my bones, but
carefully take off all the flesh, dry it, and make pounded meat
of it. Of this you must sprinkle a little in every one of the
holes. You must also _chop_ up my heart into very small pieces
and throw a few of these pieces also into each hole. Then put
in your lines, and you'll take as many fish as you please. But
my bones you must put in a heap, carefully by themselves.
Mind! Upon your faithful observance of all these commands
depends our mutual safety. The North thinks himself sole
master, and would wish to crush us because we begin to have a
little knowledge. But he shall know me!
They [did] accordingly, and accordingly also they took abundance of
fish. North perceived this. He came to see, and finding himself thus
frustrated, inquired how it came about. They told [him]. He challenged
Nayhanimis who by this time had revived. And besides, a beautiful
large feather he had sticking in his cap, or head, which none durst
wear but such as have given incontestible proofs of their manhood
[and] bravery. He likewise had a smoking bag of the skin of a
badger. Nayhanimis accepted the challenge.
"It seems, Nayhanimis, you are a great man, a man of extraordinary
power and abilities! Let us have a trial, and see which of us has the
most, for I also have some knowledge."
Nayhanimis answered, "No! I have but little power. But that little I
employ as much as I can to the general benefit of my fellows. Let us
see what you can do, which if I cannot, then you will certainly be
superior to me."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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