“With a shout of triumph the two boys carefully pushed on and, finding the den, quickly killed the cubs and cut off the right forepaw from each one to carry home.

“From this high pass they could now see the canyon where grew the good wood for which they were seeking.  They also saw the lodge of the monster giant who guarded the narrow path that led to it.  They saw by its size that he must be an enormous creature, and so they looked to see that their arrows and magic sticks were all in good order and handy for use.

“The great giant had heard their shout of triumph when they had destroyed the mountain lioness and it made him very angry, for he hated any noise or disturbance; his name, Nikoochis, which means solitude, indicated this.

“When he saw the small boys he was at first inclined to laugh in derision at them, but when they had come near enough to shoot their magic arrows at him he soon began to roar with the stinging pain they gave him.

“In vain he tried to catch the active little fellows; he was so big and clumsy, and they were so quick in their movements, that it was an utter impossibility for him to get his hands upon them.

“Then he began tearing up great rocks and stones and tried to crush them by hurling these at them.  Here the boys’ father, the sun, came to their help, and he shone so fiercely into the eyes of the great monster that he was unable to see very well, and the boys easily kept out of the way of the rocks thrown at them.

[Illustration:  “They both threw their magic sticks.”]

“The monster was big and fat and unaccustomed to exertion, and he was soon tired out.  Indeed he was so big that the arrows of the boys seemed only like pins and needles sticking into him, and the boys began to fear that their quivers would be emptied before they had conquered him.  Just then they met an old witch with a bundle of sticks which she was carrying to her wigwam.  She was very angry with Nikoochis, for he would not allow her even to gather the dry sticks that fell to the ground in the forest he was guarding.  The result was that she had to wander far away to get the little fuel she needed in her wigwam.

“The boys told her of their battle with this selfish old monster, and that even now he was badly wounded by their arrows, which, however, did not seem to reach any vital spot.  She told them that the only place where their weapons could be effectual in killing him was in the top of his skull.  That they must first in some way crack it with their magic rabbit sticks, and then they could shoot their arrows into his brain.  Hearing this they quickly resumed their attack upon him.  In vain he tore up great rocks and hurled them with all his force at them.  They either cleverly jumped on one side or sprang up into the air out of the way.

“Then, watching for their opportunity, they waited until he stooped down, and when he was struggling to loosen from the earth a great rock as big as a house Sesigizit threw, with all his power, his magic rabbit stick.  It struck the giant fair on the top of his head with such force that it broke off a piece of his skull.  The next instant Ooseemeeid fired one of his arrows so accurately that it pierced into the brain through the spot thus left exposed.