Mancunima: the Hero with no Character

The next morning no sooner did Macunaíma open the window than he spotted a little green birdie. The hero was exceedingly pleased and was still feeling pleased when Maanape burst into his room declaring that the newspaper machines were announcing the return of Venceslau Pietro Pietra. So Macunaíma decided to quit ruminating on the giant and go kill him. He left the city and went out to the So-and-So Forest to test his strength. He searched for a league and a half and finally came upon a peroba tree with sprawling buttress roots big as a trolley. "This'll do," he said. He stuck his arm into the massive tangle of roots, yanked with all his might and the tree came right out, not a trace in the ground. "Yep, sure am strong now! " Macunaíma shouted. He felt pleased again and headed back to the city. However he could hardly walk on account of being so full of ticks. Slow as molasses, Macunaíma said to em:

"Dammit, ticks! get lost, people! I don't owe you diddly squat!"