35. THE CANNIBAL AND HIS NEPHEW.
De‘o´niot was Oñgwe Iās, a man-eater. He had developed his man-flesh appetite early in his childhood because his mother had associated with witches. He lived in a hidden place far away from other human habitations. The only human creature who came near him and was not eaten was his nephew who lived on the other side of the partition that divided his long bark house. The cannibal was fond of his nephew and did not wish to come into close contact with him, lest his appetite for flesh become too strong a temptation and leave him without a companion. Thus it was he divided his house and satisfied himself with the sound of the youth’s voice, for each hunted their game separately and rarely saw each other.
One day as the nephew was sitting on his doorstep, he saw a beautiful woman approaching. She advanced and sat down by his side.
“I would like to marry you,” she said after a moment’s pause.
“I would like to marry you also,” was the answer, and then he added, “but you would not be my wife long because my uncle would eat you.”
“Oh then you had better watch that he does not eat you. If he does not I am satisfied he will not take me,” replied the woman.
“Well, if you are determined after what I have told you, I cannot say further but take you.” Leading her into the lodge he continued, “My uncle will call from his room for someone to bring him my bow or axe with which to slay some animal. Do not answer him but keep very silent and do not venture from the lodge to satisfy his wants. Obey my instructions for I am going on a hunting journey.”
Empty handed and hungry De‘o´niot returned from his hunting excursion. Going into his apartment he flung himself upon the floor to rest, then starting up, he called, “Hurry, bring me my hatchet, Oh quick, I need it immediately to kill this beast!”
Forgetting all that her husband had told her the bride picked up a hatchet and a bow and ran around the lodge to the opposite door.
When the nephew returned he found his wife missing. The only trace of her was her skirt that lay on the floor.
“Ho!” he exclaimed, “De‘o´niot has feasted on my woman and thrown her skirt to me as a reminder.” Then calling to his uncle he asked, “Oh uncle, how did you discover my woman?”
“Because I knew that it was not your breathing but a breath much faster that I heard over the partition,” was the reply.
The next day another woman came with a proposal of marriage. At first refusing her, and then accepting her on the condition that she would quietly remain in his room and heed not the entreaties of De‘o´niot, he married her, but when he returned from his hunting, she, like the first, had formed the repast of his uncle, who as before flung her dress over the partition. In like manner another wife came and was eaten.
Finally a married woman came weeping through the woods and begged De‘o´niot to protect her.
“Protect you!” the man-eater roared, “O ho! I would be more apt to eat you. That is my business,—eating people!”
“Oh protect me!” pleaded the woman, “for my husband is a ferocious giant and is now pursuing me!”
“So truly if that is the case you had better go into my nephew’s room where I cannot reach you and stay there while I watch for that man of yours.”
Presently in the distance De‘o´niot saw a giant striding through the underbrush.
“Ho, ho!” he exclaimed to himself, “That woman is the first one I ever saw and liked, so I am truly glad to do her a service in destroying her man-giant.”
With a whoop the giant pounced upon De‘o´niot. “Where is my wife?” he bellowed.
De‘o´niot did not answer but grasped the giant’s throat and after a frightful struggle twisted his neck.
“I am greatly obliged to you,” he called to the woman. “Such an amount of flesh will keep me from hunger for many days.”
When the nephew returned he found the new wife awaiting him and after some questioning he accepted her.
“That is right!” called the uncle over the partition, “don’t worry, she is a good woman. I will not eat her.”
“Wife,” he said, “I believe that we must depart from these regions for I fear that my uncle will become so hungry that he will forget his love for us.”
Soon afterward the uncle from his chamber shouted:
“Oh my children, do not leave. You fear my appetite but I promise you that I will never harm you.”
The nephew (however), would not believe these promises, but thought his uncle only shaming. In order to discuss the matter further he awoke his wife in the middle of the night and in whispers talked with her, how best to escape.
“Boy, you are going away tomorrow!” exclaimed a voice from over the partition.
“No, no, uncle,” answered the nephew. “Go to sleep and do not dream such things.”
“Ah, you cannot deceive De‘o´niot,” replied the uncle. “I know you are going away tomorrow and when you go, go west, for you have relatives there. If ever danger threatens call my name and I will be on hand to save you. Distance does not stop my promise. Call me anywhere and I will come.”
At dawn the next day the couple drank from the spring that filled a basin on one side of the room and ran out of the other. Then, packing up a bundle of food, they turned their backs on the morning and journeyed to the west.
At nightfall they saw in the distance a stream of water that reflected the light of the moon in a most peculiar way, and coming up to it they found that its strange gleam resulted from its frozen surface. The creek did not appear wide and the couple decided that it could be jumped easily. Running back a short distance each dashed forward and attempted to leap across, but great was their surprise and chagrin when they landed on the ice in the middle of the stream, and greater was their dismay when they began to slide forward. The creek ran down a steep incline and with great rapidity the two slipped downward over its surface into the uncertain light. In a moment, however, they saw that they were headed directly for a great lodge into which the stream flowed. In desperation they clutched at the ice and endeavored to hold back but vain was their effort, and in a few moments they had plunged into the lodge and into the midst of a dozen howling warriors armed with war clubs.
Surrounding them, the warriors began to brandish their clubs. Death seemed certain. The couple trembled and believed that death has surely come. Suddenly the wife started boldly up and shouted:
“De‘o´niot, hagesa!” she cried.
The warriors fell back with cries of dismay at the sound of the magical name.
In the distance came a signal call, then came a song. It was the battle song of De‘o´niot. The warriors huddled in the corners of the lodge quaking with fear. The words of the song became distinct as De‘o´niot drew nearer.
The couple looked out and saw the man-eater sliding down the incline holding in his arms a kettle, a bowl and a spoon.
“I will stay here with my meat,” he shouted as he burst into the lodge. “You had better go on to the village. Your parents and people are there. Now leave me here and go on.”
The two gladly hurried from the house and toward morning came to a village when both found friends and relatives.
After the nephew and his wife had lived in their new home for a year, one by one the children of the settlement began mysteriously to disappear.
“My uncle surely must be in this vicinity,” reflected the nephew, “I will go on a hunt for him.”
So the nephew started out and after a time of journeying saw De‘o´niot leaning over the bank of a creek groaning in agony.
“Oh uncle!” exclaimed the nephew, “what troubles you?”
“Oh nephew,” came the groaning reply, “I have eaten many children and am very sick. My belly is hurt with pain as if by claws clutching inside.”
“Cheer up uncle, I can cure you. Only obey my instructions.”
The nephew made a soup of fish bones and skins and fed it to his uncle. He continued this treatment for three days, until De‘o´niot had disgorged. By this time he was ravenous and begged for food and new clothing, for his old rags were very foul. The nephew bade him strip and plunge in the water and bathe himself. Then, after giving him some new clothing he fed him on a little corn pudding, gradually increasing the allowance at each meal and each time moving the camp nearer the village.
“You must now learn to cook, uncle,” said the nephew, “then you will forget your unnatural appetite. God made men above all creatures, uncle, and gave them great skill. Men are not made to devour one another, or for beasts to devour, but beasts are food for men. So now, promise never to touch the meat of mankind again.”
“Aye, never more will I eat of human flesh or the raw flesh of any creature but only fruits and roots and cooked meat!”
So the nephew brought him into the village and introduced him as his uncle from afar. And the uncle grew so fond of this nephew’s wife’s cooking that he married a woman to have a cook for himself.