“Oh what a tiny thing to fight with,” she laughed. “How do you ever expect to fight with it!” She licked it with her tongue and then said, “It is no good, see me smash it on this rock!” Then she hit the rock and to her surprise the rock split asunder.[[48]] She did not realize that it was her saliva that made the tomahawk strong medicine.
“Ho ho!” she exclaimed, “are all your weapons so effective on stone?”
“That little weapon is nothing,” said Skŭnniwŭn´di, “I have a knife here that will cut stone by drawing it over it.”
“Let me see it,” begged the giantess.
The man threw it across the stream. The stonish woman picked it up and drew it across her lips moistening it with her saliva. This is the custom of the giants when they wish to use anything and they do not know that it makes power. Taking the knife she drew it over a flint and the flint was cut. She rubbed its edge on her coat and it was slit. Then she threw back the axe and the knife now possessed with a wonderful power and Skŭnniwŭn´di exultant asked her to hurry and commence the fight.
“No,” said the giantess, “Your medicine is too strong. You are truly the greatest warrior of the earth. I will go.”
When the stone giantess left Skŭnniwŭn´di she ran out to a river and followed it as it flowed until she came to a house where a man, woman and child were sitting around a fire inside. She unfastened her stone coat and entered. After greeting them she said, “I am fleeing from my husband who seeks to kill me. Only be my friends and I will give you something.” The people were kind and told her that she could stay, but even so, they were afraid of her. So she sat and swung the hammock in which lay the baby daughter. She began to sing without realizing that her song would offend the parents:
“Oh what a tender morsel,
How I would love to eat you!”
The father remonstrated and implored her not to destroy their child. Then the giantess was sorry and asked forgiveness.