33. The Woman and the Monster Earthworm

33. THE WOMAN AND THE MONSTER EARTHWORM (40)

A man, accompanied by his wife, camped far from town in a region where there was an abundance of game. But when her husband was out hunting his wife went to a pine log and had intercourse with a big earthworm living in it. Finally, however, the man discovered what she was doing, roped the earthworm, and killed it. Then he took his wife home and left her. His sisters said to him, "Why are you quitting her? She seems to be pretty far along in pregnancy." But he went away from her because he thought that she was not with child by him, and indeed, when her time came, she gave birth to earthworms. The women tried to take care of her, but when numbers of worms came out they ran out and burned down the house in order to kill them. However, some of these worms burrowed into the ground, and ever afterwards they have continued to live there.