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Legends

The Double-Faced Ghost

There was a ghost who was immensely tall, with arms and legs of colossal length. He had two faces, one looking forward and one looking backward, and for this reason he was called the Double-faced Ghost. He was not too bad -- for a ghost, that is. He was so big that he could step over the widest rivers, and over the hills too. He was also a mighty hunter, since he could catch any game that came in sight with his wonderfully long arms. But in spite of his talents, Double-Face was not happy because he could not find himself a suitable wife.

One day he came upon a tent standing all by itself in the middle of the prairie. In it lived a man, his wife, and their daughter, who was young and beautiful. Hiding behind a hill, the Double-faced Ghost saw the girl from afar and immediately fell in love with her. He said to himself: "I must have her for my wife! Of course, she might not want me, and her father too might think that she and I are ill-matched. So I'll start by supplying this family with so much good, fat meat that they'll see what a fine husband I'd make."

The ghost went hunting and caught a lot of game with his long arms. Every morning in the darkness before dawn, he brought a great load of meat and left it in front of the tipi. The parents and the girl were delighted and wondered what hunter was giving them all this fine red meat. The father said: "I must find out who is doing us this kindness," but he never caught a glimpse of the Double-faced Ghost. Yet morning after morning there was a new load of meat stacked up before the tipi -- more than the three people could eat, even if the dogs also had their fill.

At last the father dug himself a hole behind a clump of bushes, crept into it on a moonlit night, and stayed awake to watch. Before dawn he saw the Double-faced Ghost come, leave his load of meat, and go away. The man went back to his family trembling with fear. He told his wife and daughter to strike the tent and pack up, because it was a terrible monster who had been bringing the meat. The three got away as fast as they could, and the next morning Double-Face found the tent gone. He waited until it was light and then followed their tracks.

With his long legs he soon overtook them. "Wait, wait, good people," Double-Face shouted. "I mean you no harm. I have only kind feelings toward you."

In a few more strides he came level with the fleeing family. "Stop! Stop!" he cried. "Let's sit down and talk!"

What could the three people do? Though very much afraid, they sat down. The ghost towered over them.

"You were kind to leave all that meat," the man said. "But what do you want from us?"

"I am in love with your daughter," said the Double-faced One. "I want her for a wife."

Naturally the father was not willing to give her to the ghost, and the daughter would not have gone even if her father had asked it. After all, what girl wants a husband ten times taller than her, with one face looking forward and one backward? On the other hand, the father did not want to make this giant angry. So he said:

"You are indeed kind and handsome, and a mighty hunter too. Who wouldn't want a man like you for his daughter's husband? What daughter wouldn't be happy to have you? Now, I'm sure you know the custom of my people in such matters."

"What custom?" asked the Double-Faced Ghost.

"Well, we always play hide-the-plumpit. If the suitor wins, he gets the girl. If he doesn't, he gives something of value."

"Really?" said the ghost. "I never heard of this custom. It sounds unusual."

"Not at all," said the father. "We've had it since the world began, and we must stick to it or suffer great misfortunes."

"Well, in that case let's play."

"You are a wise and accommodating man," said the father. "As I said, if you win I will give you my daughter, but if you lose you will go on leaving a pile of meat for us in the morning -- though maybe only every other day."

What the Double-faced Ghost didn't know was that the father was the best hide-the-plumpit player in the world. They played. The father's hands were so quick that the ghost could not follow them and locate the pit. On top of that, the girl and her mother drummed and sang funny songs, which distracted him. So the father won easily. Double-Faced Ghost accepted his loss and went on bringing meat as long as the people lived, even after the daughter married. As I said, he wasn't bad -- for a ghost.
 
 

* From a tale reported by Alfred L. Kroeber in 1900