How the Giantess Guimara Became Small

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The old negro did not say a single word to him, but dived into the water. When he came out he called the giant’s attention to the bed of onions. “I planted these onions,” he said. “Aren’t they a good crop?”

The bed of onions smelled so strong that the giant did not like to stay near them. The butterfly flew at the giant’s eyes and almost into them. He was disgusted and went home to talk it over with his wife.

“How silly you were,” said the giant’s wife. “Don’t you see that Guimara had changed herself into a river and had changed D. Joaõ into an old negro, the horse into a tree, the saddle into a bed of onions, and the musket into a butterfly? Hurry after them at once.”

The giant again went in pursuit, promising his wife that next time he would not let Guimara play any tricks on him. The next time that Guimara saw her father coming she thought of a new plan. She changed herself into a church. She turned D. Joaõ into a padre, the horse into a bell, the saddle into an altar and the musket into a mass-book.

When the giant approached the church he was completely deceived. “O, holy padre,” he said to the priest, “have you seen anything of a little man, accompanied by a handsome young woman, passing this way?”

The padre went on with his mass and said:

“I am a hermit padre

Devoted to the Immaculate;

I do not hear what you say.

Dominus vobiscum.”

The giant could get no other response from him. At last he gave up in despair and went home to talk things over with his wife.

“Of all stupid fools you are the most stupid of all,” said his wife when she had heard the tale. “Don’t you see that Guimara has changed herself into a church, D. Joaõ into a priest, the horse into a bell, the saddle into the altar, and the musket into the mass-book? Hurry after them again as fast as you can. I am going with you, myself, this time, to see that Guimara does not play any more tricks on you.”

This time the fugitives had travelled far when Guimara’s parents overtook them. They had almost reached D.