Atondido Stories
have for breakfast." The stew was very hot, and to cool it before
he ate it the giant blew his breath on what he dipped out. But the
boy poured his own share into the bag under his coat, and said,
"Why can't you eat hot food—a big man like you? In my country
men never stop to cool their stew with their breath." Now the gi-
ant could not see very well, for his eyesight was not very good,
and the cave was dark, and he did not notice the boy putting the
stew in the bag so quickly. He thought the boy was eating it.
And he was shamed by the boy's taunts because he was so much
larger than the boy, so he ate up the hot stew at once in great
gulps and burned his throat badly. But he was too proud to stop
or to complain.
When they had eaten half the potful, the giant said, "I am
full. I think I have had enough." "No, indeed," said the boy, "you
must show that you like my cooking. In my country men eat
much more than that," and he kept on eating. The giant was not
to be outdone by a boy, so he fell to eating again, and they did
not stop until they had consumed the whole potful of stew. But
the boy had poured his share into the bag and when they had
finished he was swelled out to an immense size. The giant could
scarcely move, he had eaten so much, and he said, "I have eaten
too much; I feel very full, and I have a great pain in my belly."
And the boy said, "I do not feel very comfortable myself, but I
have a way to cure pains." So saying he took his little knife and
thrust it gently into the side of the bag and the stew oozed out
and he was soon back to his normal size. The giant wondered
greatly at the sight, but the boy said, "It is a way they have in my
country after they have had a great feast." "Does the knife not
hurt?" asked the giant. "No, indeed," said the boy, "it brings
great relief." "My throat is very sore," said the giant, for the hot
stew had burned him. "You will soon feel better," said the boy,
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