A long time ago, there lived a person called Skunny-Wundy. He wasn't very big and he wasn't very small, but everybody knew him well because he was always boasting about his bravery. He would talk about all the brave things he had done and all the brave things he was going to do until people would beg him to stop. They weren't quick to do so, however, because Skunny-Wundy, whose name meant Cross-The-Creek, loved only one thing more than he loved to boast: he loved playing tricks on people.

Now in those days there lived some terrible monsters. There were people who could turn themselves into monster bears. And there were great Flying Heads who could destroy whole villages. There were monsters hiding in the springs who grabbed careless travellers, and great horned serpents living in the lakes. But the most frightening monsters of all were the Stone Giants.

The old sachem was interested. "Aren't you even afraid of the stone giants?"

"Hah," said Skunny-Wundy. "I will destroy the stone giants if they dare to fight me. There is no greater warrior than Skunny-Wundy. If..."

Without his noticing it, everyone crept quiet away and left Skunny-Wundy standing there shaking his stone hatchet and boasting. While he strode up and down, all the people gathered in the Council House. Soon a young man came out and ran out of the village only to return a few minutes later, but Skunny-Wundy did not even notice.

All the people, led by the old sachem, came out of the Council House and gathered around Skunny-Wundy. The old man said, "Skunny-Wundy, rejoice. We have decided to give you a chance to prove your bravery."

Skunny-Wundy stopped striding back and forth. He looked around. All eyes in the village were focused on him. "Ah," he said with a worried look, that is very good. But. . . uh. . . what do you mean?"

"We have decided," the old man said with just a hint of a smile, "to allow you to fight the Flint Coats."

"Oh," Skunny-Wundy said, "that is good, but. . . how can I find the Stone Giants? Why. . . they might even run away when they see me coming."

"Do not worry," the old man answered, smiling broadly. " A very big Stone Giant stands even now on the other side of the river. He is waiting for you. We sent a messenger to tell him he should run away before the mighty warrior Skunny-Wundy arrived to destroy him. That made the Stone Giant so angry he swore he would stay there until you arrived."

Skunny-Wundy was very frightened, but he knew he had to accept this challenge. If he didn't, people would make fun of him forever.

"Hah," Skunny-Wundy said, "that is good. I shall go now to fight the Flint Coat." He strode quickly out of the village. However, as soon as he was out of sight, he began to walk more slowly. He needed time to think. How could he defeat such a monster?

"If I throw rocks at him," he said to himself, "he'll catch them and chew them up like ripe berries. If I shoot arrows at him, they'll snap like blades of dry grass. No, I must think. Stone giants aren't very bright after all. Perhaps I can think of some way to trick him."

Just then, Skunny-Wundy heard a very loud, frightening noise that sounded like the beating of a gigantic drum or the roaring of a hurricane wind. It came from the direction of the river just beyond the trees. Skunny-Wundy crept closer. He peered out from behind a tree and saw what he had been afraid he would see.

There on the other side of the river stood the biggest, ugliest, angriest stone giant anyone could ever imagine. He had pulled a giant pine tree up by the roots and was beating it against the earth, making a noise like an enormous drum. As he pounded the ground, he sang a terrible war song in a voice as loud as a hurricane.

Skunny-Wundy began to turn around so that he could tiptoe away, but it was too late.

"HONH!" the stone Giant roared. "WHO IS OVER THERE? ARE YOU SKUNNY-WUNDY WHO SAYS HE CAN DESTROY ME?"

Skunny-Wundy stepped out from behind a tree. "Yes!" he shouted. "I am Skunny-Wundy and it is true that I can destroy you. Come over here and fight me!"

Holding the giant pine tree in one hand like a war club, the stone giant waded into the river. The water was deep and before he was halfway across he disappeared under the water. Quick as a fox, Skunny-Wundy hurried upstream where the river was shallow and quickly crossed over to the other side.

Before long, the Stone Giant's head came out of the water near the other side. He climbed up onto the bank where Skunny-Wundy had been standing.

"HONH!" the stone giant roared. "WHERE IS SKUNNY-WUNDY?"

"Here I am!" shouted Skunny-Wundy from the other side.

The stone giant turned and looked at him. "WHY DID YOU GO OVER THERE?" he growled.

"Over where?" Skunny-Wundy answered. "I'm still waiting for you. You must have gotten turned around under water. If you aren't afraid of me, come over here and fight."

The Stone Giant roared with anger and rushed into the river. He immediately disappeared under the water and Skunny-Wundy had to run quickly to cross over to the other side of the river. He ran so fast he dropped his stone hatchet and left it he hind.

When the stone giant climbed out of the water again, there was no sign of Skunny-Wundy, but right in front of him was Skunny-Wundy's hatchet.

"WHAT IS THIS?" growled the Stone Giant. "THIS MUST BE A TOY." He lifted the hatchet to his mouth and touched it to his tongue to test its sharpness. Then he struck Skunny-Wundy's hatchet against a real boulder. To his surprise, the boulder split right two!

Meanwhile, Skunny-Wundy was watching from he other side of the river. He had heard that any weapon touched by the saliva of a Stone Giant would have magical power and now he knew that it was true. Skunny-Wundy slipped out from behind he trees and waved his arms.

"Hah!" Skunny-Wundy shouted. "Come over here and bring me back my hatchet, so that I can cut off your head with it."

For the first time in his long life, the Stone Giant felt fear in his cold flint heart. If Skunny-Wundy's little stone hatchet could split great boulders in two, Skunny-Wundy would surely be able to destroy him. "No," pleaded the Stone Giant, "Do not kill me. You are a terrible warrior. Let me go and I will see that none of my people ever come near your village again."

Skunny-Wundy pretended to think for a minute. Then he nodded his head. "That is good. You may go md save your life. But always remember Skunny-Wundy, the great warrior!"

The stone giant hastened away, leaving Skunny- Wundy's hatchet on the river bank. As soon as he was out of sight, Skunny-Wundy crossed over and retrieved his weapon. "Now I must return to my village. My people will be very glad to hear the stories I shall tell them."

Thus it was that Skunny-Wundy used his wits to defeat the Stone Giant.

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Compiled by: Glenn Welker




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