Cape Breton's Magazine

Dan Hughie Maclsaac, Broad Cove Banks "Two Stories My Grandfather Told" I suppose it's more like a chil? dren's story. And it would take at least a book about that thick, by the time I'd be finished with it. (Why is that?) It came from Scot? land. It's children's program--like, when there were giants. (There) is a big giant. He was sit? ting at the table, and he was having molasses and bread. And there were seven flies came on him. And he did like that and he killed them. (Brought his hand down on them.) Yeah. And he killed the seven. "By gosh," he said to himself, "now there's something in that." So he made a belt, and he put on it: "Sev? en with One Blow." He didn't tell you if it was flies or what it was. So he started travelling. And he met a guy coming out of the woods with an awful big tree on his back. And he said, "You must be strong. You come with me." Oh, to make it quick: "You come with me. And we're the two strongest fellows in the world." So anyways, they were carrying along, they went along. And they saw a fellow, and he had his nose--he had one side of his nose and he was blowing with it. And they said, "What are you doing?" (He had his finger along one side?) One side. (One side of his nose closed?) Yeah. (And blowing out the other side.) Blowing on the other side. And he was turning a windmill. With his nose. So, "You come with me. We'll be three of the best men that's going." So they kept on going. And by gosh, when they went, they saw a fellow with a rifle. And he was standing like this (aiming the rifle). He asked him, "What are you do? ing?" "I see a fly a way, way there, and I'm going to try to hit it." So he hit the fly, and killed him. "Well, you come with us, too." So, then they met a fellow with his foot up. One leg up. And he says, "What are you doing?" He says, "If I put down my leg, I'll go as fast--as anything." (Dan Hughie laughs.) So, anyway, that was all right. But you wait till you hear the ending. I'm pretty near the end of it. So, they were going along. "Well, come with us. Come with us." So, they went. So then they met a fellow and his hat was on one side. And they asked him, "What are you doing?" "Oh, if I put my hat straight, everything'11 freeze." "Well, okay. Come with us." So they went down, and they went down to a--what the heck did they call, now, that man? Aw, he was an awful rich man. Now there's where I get stuck. He was awful rich. But he had a daughter. And he made agreement with them--when he saw the big fellows. There was a well down below, quite a ways. And he says, "Anyone that'll go to work," he says, "and beat my daugh? ter with a jug of water from there, can have my palace." So, all right. Now this fellow with the one foot, they took him up on it. And he was away ahead of her. And he stopped and he laid down. And what'd he lay on but a head of a cow or something. And he fell asleep. And the girl was passing him. And the fellow with the gun, he shot the head, so the other fellow woke up. And she was after spilling his jug. So he galloped down, and he got his jug full, and he ran back and he got ahead. Well--it was a king (the rich man). So the king turned around and he says, "Well now, let's see, now. Something else I want you DAN HUGHIE MACISAAC CONTINUES ON PAGE 40 Front Cover Photo: Dominic Nardocchio, holding a wooden tray he carved for his wife while he was in Peta- wawa Internment Camp during World War Two. Translation: "There's truth in wine." See story, page 69.