Makoma, the greatest of heroes." Then the
man seized me, and pulling a hair from his moustache, tied me to this
tree--even as you see me.'

Makoma was very wroth, but he said nothing, and drawing his finger-nail
across the hair (which was as thick and strong as palm rope) cut it, and
set free the mountain-maker.

The three following days exactly the same thing happened, only each time
with a different one of the party; and on the fourth day Makoma stayed
in camp when the others went to cut poles, saying that he would see
for himself what sort of man this was that lived in the river and whose
moustaches were so long that they extended beyond men's sight.

So when the giants had gone he swept and tidied the camp and put
some venison on the fire to roast. At midday, when the sun was right
overhead, he heard a rumbling noise from the river, and looking up he
saw the head and shoulders of an enormous man emerging from it. And
behold! right down the river-bed and up the river-bed, till they faded
into the blue distance, stretched the giant's grey moustaches!

'Who are you?' bellowed the giant, as soon as he was out of the water.

'I am he that is called Makoma,' answered the hero; 'and, before I slay
thee, tell me also what is thy name and what thou doest in the river?'

'My name is Chin-debou Mau-giri,' said the giant. 'My home is in the
river, for my moustache is the grey fever-mist that hangs above the
water, and with which I bind all those that come unto me so that they
die.'

'You cannot bind me!' shouted Makoma, rushing upon him and striking
with his hammer. But the river giant was so slimy that the blow slid
harmlessly off his green chest, and as Makoma stumbled and tried to
regain his balance, the giant swung one of his long hairs around him and
tripped him up.

For a moment Makoma was helpless, but remembering the power of the
flame-spirit which had entered into him, he breathed a fiery breath upon
the giant's hair and cut himself free.

As Chin-debou Mau-giri leaned forward to seize him the hero flung his
sack Woronowu over the giant's slippery head, and gripping his iron
hammer, struck him again; this time the blow alighted upon the dry sack
and Chin-debou Mau-giri fell dead.

When the four giants returned at sunset with the poles, they rejoiced to
find that Makoma had overcome the fever-spirit, and they feasted on the
roast venison till far into the night; but in the morning, when they
awoke, Makoma wa