"In vain he tried to catch the active little fellows; he was so big and
clumsy, and they were so quick in their movements, that it was an utter
impossibility for him to get his hands upon them.
"Then he began tearing up great rocks and stones and tried to crush them by
hurling these at them. Here the boys' father, the sun, came to their help,
and he shone so fiercely into the eyes of the great monster that he was
unable to see very well, and the boys easily kept out of the way of the
rocks thrown at them.
[Illustration: "They both threw their magic sticks."]
"The monster was big and fat and unaccustomed to exertion, and he was soon
tired out. Indeed he was so big that the arrows of the boys seemed only
like pins and needles sticking into him, and the boys began to fear that
their quivers would be emptied before they had conquered him. Just then
they met an old witch with a bundle of sticks which she was carrying to her
wigwam. She was very angry with Nikoochis, for he would not allow her even
to gather the dry sticks that fell to the ground in the forest he was
guarding. The result was that she had to wander far away to get the little
fuel she needed in her wigwam.
"The boys told her of their battle with this selfish old monster, and that
even now he was badly wounded by their arrows, which, however, did not seem
to reach any vital spot. She told them that the only place where their
weapons could be effectual in killing him was in the top of his skull.
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