The giant and the star eyed girl Traditional Cache
The giant and the star eyed girl
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The giant and the star eyed girl A long time ago, a huge giant ruled the fields around Jokkmokk. This giant was so old that no one remembered what he was called but he was very greedy and evil. As long as anyone can remember, many brave Sámi had lived their lives in trying to protect their reindeer and their farms from the giant. But in order to protect themselves, the Sámi created garments that were so colorful that it would remind the giant of summer and spring. The legend said the giant had a heart of ice and therefore feared the summer and the magic power of fire. When spring came, the giant walked far up among the mountain peaks where he lay and looked down on the people who undressed the heavy winter clothes and tuned up to many songs and parties. The worst was the sound from the shaman's throbbing drum and flowing song. Everything grew green again and the animals increased and got more fatter. A tempting meal for the giant who lay there on the frozen snow and chewed on ice blocks and rocks in the whipping winter wind. So during the summer, the Sámi could breathe out and rest from the giant's evil acts and prey. But when the autumn approached and the frost began to kiss the ground's leaves and the Sami's cheeks, the shaman gave out small lanterns with candles that were put around the places where the Sámi lived. This was thought to help protect against the giant who feared the magical power of fire. But when the first snowfall came you could also see great deep footprints in the snow and it was according to custom that the first week as snow fell you would be indoors with a lot of food, fire and firewood so you did not be a meal for the hungry giant who came down from the mountains to eat himself fat on meat. Just this winter, the giant walked over the ice on Torneälv and saw a fish that was frozen deep in the ice. The giant thought for a while if he could get hold of the fish but then chose to move on after the fat reindeers. A young sami girl was called Star Eye because her eyes gleamed like a starry night sky. She was said to have marvelous powers. She could calm wild animals with her gaze and sleepy crying children and bring joy to the one who had lost his own by just looking into his eyes. One night, Star Eyel was out and skied through the low-growth forest and stopped for the bonding on her right side to have gone up again. She sat down on her knees and began to lace up the ski tie when she suddenly heard a sound. She looked up and there in the snow in front of her opened a pair of large, icy blue eyes from the snowdrift. Big powerful hands got out of the snow and closed like a wall behind her and the giant's giant face emerged from the snow where he had previously slept. Star Eye looked astonished in the giant's eyes. The giant who had first thought of devouring her whole halted himself and stared into the little sámi girl's eyes. Star Eye began to speak slowly and carefully with the giant and assured him that he did not have to be afraid. The giant who has never had someone to talk to before did not answer but in some way it was nice to have someone who talked. The giant lifted up the star eyed girl slowly and carefully and carried her over the mountain.With great slow steps, they traveled forward. Star Eye taught the giant everything she could about the animals and the life force that existed around them. The giant felt more warm than he ever did and for the first time he felt happy. Suddenly, the giant put her down and pointed behind her. She looked around and there stood her family's farm and against the wall of the small timbered cottage stood her skis and staff. She turned back to the giant but he was gone. The winter went on and the giant and Star Eye continued to hang out in silence. The other Sámi began to become suspicious of where she took the road each night and began to sneak after her. The giant did not turn out as often when he saw that the others followed the Star Eye. Spring began to approach and Star Eye sits in the giant's hand and looks at the sunset. She had never felt so at home with anyone she did with the giant. He understood her and did not think it was strange that she had a special power in her eyes. Star Eye wanted the giant not to disappear now that summer came and this saw the giant in her eyes. Star Eye was laid down on a bed of bear moss where she fell asleep. When she wakes up, there is a giant house made of ice from Torneälv. She walked in with wonder and at the bottom sat the giant on a massive throne. The air was so cold in here that the breath turns into fog and her thick clothes are almost not enough to shut out the cold. In the roof the sun shines up the blue ice and inside the ice are frozen fish that formed a fantastic pattern where they gleamed out of sun rays. Star Eye laughs and spins around as she looks at the amazing house out of ice. The yellow light turned into pale white when the night rolls in. Suddenly, wall after wall collapsed and flames poured in. Outside, the shaman's pounding and manic songs were heard. Ropes was thrown in and the giant screamed and tried to free himself. Dogs ran in and dragged out the Star Eye from the ice masses. She looked at the giant who, with horrified eyes, roared and tried to get loose. The Sámi forced the giant down on his knees and a man with a timber ax climbed up an ice block in front of the giant and raised his wide ax over his head. Star Eye screamed everything she could and tears fell to the ground. A hard cut fell over the giant's chest and the wound became deep and long. the giant's head fell down and his eyes closed. Everything was quiet and the other Sámi released Star Eye and began to go home. Star Eye crept crying to the giant. She asked for forgiveness because she had made him stay. The giant's body became warmer and warmer and the Star Eye lifted crying her head and met the giant ice-blue eyes. The giant smiled and with his last powers he reached into the wound in his chest and pulled out his big heart off ice. It pulsated and fluttered with all sorts of shades of green and threw such an astounding light that Star Eye stopped crying in wonder. The giant smiled and raised the light over his head and between his two powerful hands he crushed his heart off ice. Out of the giant's hands, millions of tiny shining ice crystals rose, forming large beautiful bands of green light shimmering over the dark night sky. Star Eye looked long at the beautiful light and when she looked around the giant was gone. But she felt that he was always close to her on the night sky, which we now call the Northern Lights. By Sam Jonsson
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Vgf orybj n jvaqbj ba bar bs gur fznyre pnoovaf. Orgjrra gjb bs gur pnoovaf.