[Story] The Clash of the Giants

[Jubal]

The Clash of the Giants

Introduction
This is the story of two giants, one good and one evil, each of whom rules part of the land, and their struggle for supremacy.

Story
Abridged and paraphrased from Hanghe: details such as the attributes of Biriir ina-Barqo are in their respective threads, and what is preserved here is the essentials of the plot.^{1, 2}

Biriir ina-Barqo and Xabbed ina-Kamas were two giants, each of whom ruled part of the land. Initially, they had no knowledge of one another, and lived entirely separately.

Xabbed ina-Kamas was an extremely cruel ruler who used his strength to put great rocks over all the water-wells in his land. He demanded a payment of a camel when his people wanted to draw water, selecting the fattest in the herd. He could eat one of these in one sitting; as his people could not supply him camels quickly enough to sate his appetite, many of them fled.

Biriir ina-Barqo was a good ruler; when some of Xabbed's people told him of the oppression they faced, it angered him greatly. The people took him to Xabbed, who was even then about to take the fattest camel of another flock for his food.

"This fat he-camel satisfies me!" said Xabbed
"But your death will satisfy me!" roared Biriir, charging him.

There was a great and terrible battle that shook all the four corners of the land and created great winds with the force of their blows. At last, Biriir grabbed Xabbed's throat and began to strangle him. Despite the evil giant's pleas, Biriir decided that Xabbed deserved no mercy and killed him on the spot.

Biriir then opened up the water-wells and people returned to their homes; and he was guardian of the whole land and much loved by all.

Variants
~Nothing as yet~

Links
[Character] Biriir ina-Barqo (Protagonist)
[Character] Xabbed ina-Kamas (Antagonist)



REFERENCES/NOTES

• Paraphrasing by James Baillie
• Folk Tales from Somalia, p.143

BIBLIOGRAPHY/FURTHER MATERIAL

• Hanghe, Ahmed A. - Folk Tales from Somalia (1988)

Analysis
~None as Yet~