55. THE STONE GIANT’S BATTLE.[[50]]
The stone giants had conquered all the tribes of the north and had grown tired of such easy combats.
So they came toward the south and heard of the fame of the Six Nations and right away desired to fight with them. In order to present a formidable force they sent messengers back to their own north country with orders to bring back a fresh party of warriors. These crossed the north ocean and coming to the Niagara river made a path of rocks across it and walked over without even wetting the soles of their moccasins.
Now the Six Nations knew all these things because Gwä gwä having seen them flew up to the clouds and told the sun and the sun told Soñgwayadĭ’´sä’ĕ’, the Great Ruler. Then Soñgwayadĭ’´sä’ĕ’ instructed Gwä gwä to nip off a grass-hopper’s big leg and dangle it from the sky over a village while screaming his cry. So Gwä gwä obeyed.
An old man was crossing a clearing. In the air above him he heard what seemed a death cry and looking upward he saw a human leg writhing as it bled from the clouds. The old man dropped his head down and away from the sight and walked on pondering over the wonder, and he never knew that it was only Gwä gwä with a grass-hopper’s big leg. The old man lay down to sleep and as he slept he dreamed the interpretation of the sign and knew that the stone giants were coming.
On the following day the old man took two friends and hid on the summit of a high mountain. For two days the men camped there listening to the war songs of the on-marching foe, and at evening on the second day they saw the vast war party of giants march into sight far down the valley and pitch camp on the shores of a lake. Then a spirit came out of a tree and revealed to the men that the Creator had planned to save them. He instructed them to choose a messenger from among themselves and dispatch him for a few more people to witness the battle with the giants.
Accordingly, a runner was sent to the village and a small party was guided back to the mountain top, where all found shelter beneath a great rock.
A terrible storm burst from the sky—He’´non roared from the heavens and sent down his fire upon the camp of stone giants. Then the earth trembled and the mountains on either side of the valley slid down upon the giants below.
It seemed that all were killed.