So all the women ran up to the town and told Gawigawen that a strange boy was at the spring and he had come to fight.

“Go and tell him,” said Gawigawen, “that if it is true that he is brave, he will come into the town, if he can.”

When Kanag reached the high bank outside the town, he jumped like a flitting bird up the bank into the town and went straight to the spirit house of Gawigawen.  He noticed that the roofs of both the dwelling and the spirit houses were of hair, and that around the town were many heads, [40] and he pondered: 

“This is why my father did not return.  Gawigawen is a brave man, but I will kill him.”

As soon as Gawigawen saw him in the yard he said: 

“How brave you are, little boy; why did you come here?”

“I came to get my father,” answered Kanag; “for you kept him when he came to get oranges for my mother.  If you do not give him to me, I will kill you.”

Gawigawen laughed at this brave speech and said: 

“Why, one of my fingers will fight you.  You shall never go back to your town, but you shall stay here and be like your father.”

“We shall see,” said Kanag.  “Bring your arms and let us fight here in the yard.”

Gawigawen was beside himself with rage at this bold speech, and he brought his spear and his head-ax which was as big as half the sky.  Kanag would not throw first, for he wanted to prove himself brave, so Gawigawen took aim and threw his head-ax at the boy.  Now Kanag used magical power, so that he became an ant and was not hit by the weapon.  Gawigawen laughed loudly when he looked around and could not see the boy, for he thought that he had been killed.  Soon, however, Kanag reappeared, standing on the head-ax, and Gawigawen, more furious than ever, threw his spear.  Again Kanag disappeared, and Gawigawen was filled with surprise.

Then it was Kanag’s turn and his spear went directly through the body of the giant.  He ran quickly and cut off five of the heads, [41] but the sixth he spared until Gawigawen should have shown him his father.

As they went about the town together, Kanag found that the skin of his father had been used for a drum-head.  His hair decorated the house, and his head was at the gate of the town, while his body was put beneath the house.  After he had gathered all the parts of the body together, Kanag used magical power, and his father came to life.

“Who are you?” asked Aponitolau; “how long have I slept?”

“I am your son,” said Kanag.  “You were not asleep but dead, and here is Gawigawen who kept you.  Take my head-ax and cut off his remaining head.”

So Aponitolau took the head-ax, but when he struck Gawigawen it did not injure him.

“What is the matter, Father?” asked Kanag; and taking the weapon he cut off the sixth head of Gawigawen.

Then Kanag and his father used magic so that the spears and head-axes flew about, killing all the people in the town, and the heads and valuable things went to their home.