Mosique is a skilful fighter when he is angry; but the powerful Hawk never believed that that old worm could hurt anything. His house opened just wide enough for Hūhuss to put in his head; but it opened into a large room where he kept his tools of every kind.
The Little Birds were glad to see the Hawk go to Mosique’s house, for they trusted in the Worm’s cunning.
“Come, Mūsmī, let me in. I want you to build me a good warm house. I will pay you well for it.”
“Yes,” says Mosique, “I will build a house for my grandchildren in your old skull.”
The Hawk laughed at him, and spat on him.
“You build a house in my skull, indeed,” said he. “Well, let me see what you can do,” and he poked his head a little farther in.
Mosique strapped his auger to the top of his pate, turned and twisted, and screwed himself around into Hawk’s head. He soon penetrated his skull, and Hūhuss shrieked aloud for help, but no help came. He flew up in agony; he flew so high that he almost reached the blue sky. All the birds, and all the animals, looked at him, but none knew what would become of him.
Mosique kept twisting himself around, and soon reached the Hawk’s brain. Of course, the Hawk could not endure this, and he fell heavily to the ground, carrying Mosique with him.
Then all the birds flocked together, and had a feast which lasted many days, singing songs, and dancing, and shaking hands with Mosique in token of their gratitude and joy. The Little Ants also came to attend this great feast; and after it was over, Mosique made a long speech, bidding them: “Tell all the Hawks, his brothers, his sisters, his sons, and his daughters, to insult me no more. If they do, they must share the same fate as their chief. You see him now dead. I will give his skull to our neighbors, the ants, for their wigwam, and also a part of his old carcass for food.”
The ants ran hastily into Hawk’s skull, and fed upon his brain.