The Cunning Lapp

Once upon a time, a poor Lapp found himself captured by a giant. He knew the giant would eat him unless he could think of a clever way to escape. So he challenged the giant to a contest of strength. The test was to see who could ram their head deepest into a tree trunk. The one who made the deepest dent would be the strongest.

The giant went first. He stepped back from a tall pine, then charged forward and smashed his head against the trunk with all his might. But when they looked, there wasn't even a scratch on the bark. The Lapp said he would show his strength the next day.

That night, the Lapp carved large hollows into several tree trunks and carefully covered the holes with bark, making them look untouched. The next morning, when they resumed the contest, the Lapp ran from tree to tree, thrusting his head into each hollow up to his ears. The giant watched, feeling completely defeated by such a display of strength.

But the giant proposed another challenge: whoever could throw an ice ax highest into the air would be the winner. The giant threw first, sending the ax so high it nearly disappeared from sight.

"That was a pathetic throw," said the Lapp. "When I throw it, it will go so high it will get stuck in a cloud."

"Oh no, my friend!" cried the giant. "I'd rather admit you're stronger than lose my magnificent ax." And so the Lapp won again.

The next day, as they walked together, the Lapp gathered willow twigs and began twisting them together.

"What are you doing with those?" asked the giant.

"I'm going to carry away your treasure house," replied the Lapp.

"Oh, my boy," sighed the giant, "please let me keep my house, and I'll fill your hat with silver."

"Very well," agreed the Lapp.

While the giant went to fetch the silver, the Lapp dug a pit, cut a hole in the top of his hat, and placed the hat over the hole so it looked empty.

"That's a mighty big hat you've got," complained the giant when he returned.

"Fill it up!" shouted the Lapp. "Otherwise I'll throw you into the clouds just like I would have done with the ice ax." The giant was so frightened that he gave the Lapp a huge amount of silver, and the Lapp became rich for the rest of his life.