Ill 



THE METIGEWEK 



THE Metigewek was the largest of the numerous 

 traditionary birds of Tigara. Its enormous size and 

 strength enabled it to seize and bear to the interior 

 the whales on which it used to feed. Even to-day 

 when the older inhabitants find the skeleton of a 

 whale, back from the coast in the interior of the 

 country, they declare it was the victim of a Metige 

 wek at some remote time of the past. 



One of the earlier inhabitants has been credited 

 with a somewhat similar experience to that of 

 Ganymede. 



A hunter having killed a deer was in the act of 

 cutting it up preparatory to carrying it home. 

 Noticing a shadow coming over the ground, he 

 looked up just as a Metigewek swooped down and 

 seized him in its enormous claws and bore him 

 aloft. The bird carried him to a great height, so 

 that the earth was almost lost to view. The man 

 having retained his spear began stabbing the bird ; 

 at last the wounds proving fatal, the Metigewek 



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