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'Collect all the babies in the village the same size as yourself, answered the bones; 'shave the sides of their heads, and hang white beads round their necks, and tell them that when anybody calls "Motikatika," they are to answer to it. And be quick for you have no time to lose.
'But why did you not call him by his name, as I told you? she asked. 'I did, but all the babies in the village seemed to be named Motikatika, answered the ogre; 'you cannot think the number who came running to me. The woman did not know what to make of it, so, to keep him in a good temper, she entered the hut and prepared a bowl of maize, which she brought him.
You shall have my baby, if you will only let me go. 'How am I to know which is your baby? asked the Ogre. 'Oh, that is easily managed. I will shave both sides of his head, and hang some white beads round his neck. And when you come to the hut you have only to call "Motikatika!" and he will run to meet you, and you can eat him.
Next morning Motikatika was sent out with a basket, and told to pick some beans for dinner. On the way to the field he took out his bones and asked them what he was to do to escape from the ogre. 'Change yourself into a bird and snap off the beans, said the bones. And the ogre chased away the bird, not knowing that it was Motikatika.
'We are all Motikatika, they replied. And the ogre sat down in bewilderment, for he dared not eat the children of people who had done him no wrong, or a heavy punishment would befall him. The children waited for a little, wondering, and then they went away. The ogre remained where he was, till the evening, when the woman returned from the fields. 'I have not seen Motikatika, said he.
When his wife found out the mistake, she cried bitterly; but Motikatika said: 'It is only just that he should be eaten, and not I; for it was he, and not I, who sent you to fetch the water. Niels And The Giants
Motikatika went out directly, and brought back quite a crowd of babies, and shaved their heads and hung white beads round their little black necks, and just as he had finished, the ground began to shake, and the huge ogre came striding along, crying: 'Motikatika! Motikatika! 'Here we are! here we are! answered the babies, all running to meet him. 'It is Motikatika I want, said the ogre.
'I do not want maize, I want the baby, grumbled he 'and I will have him. 'Have patience, answered she; 'I will call him, and you can eat him at once. And she went into the hut and cried, 'Motikatika! 'I am coming, mother, replied he; but first he took out his bones, and, crouching down on the ground behind the hut, asked them how he should escape the ogre.
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