Boys and Girls Bookshelf (Vol 2 of 17): Folk-Lore, Fables, And Fairy TalesVarious
General
Boys and Girls Bookshelf (Vol 2 of 17): Folk-Lore, Fables, And Fairy Tales
Various
Children's literature
This boy told how he had been under a spell; and he was at once released
from it by the power of the King's son. In return, he gave him the
bundle which he carried, and cautioned him not to open it until he found
the place where he desired to dwell.
On the homeward trip the bundle became very heavy, and the King's son
stopped in a grove to open it. Immediately a beautiful castle sprang
up before him. He was very sorry, for he wanted to live in the glen
opposite his father's palace. Just then a Giant appeared and offered to
put the castle back in the bundle on condition that the Prince give him
his first son when he was seven years old. The Prince promised, and soon
he had his castle in the right place. At the palace door there was a
beautiful maiden, who asked him to marry her. The wedding took place at
once, and all were happy.
Before many years they had a son; and then the Prince, who was now King,
remembered his promise to the Giant. When the boy was seven years old
the Giant came to claim him. The Queen said she would save her child.
She dressed the cook's son in fine clothes, and gave him to the Giant.
But the Giant feared some treachery, and said to the boy: "If thy father
had a rod what would he do with it?"
"He would beat the dogs if they went near the King's meat," answered the
boy.
Then the Giant knew he had been deceived, and he went again to the
palace. Again the Queen tried to trick him by giving him the butler's
son. When the Giant found he had been fooled a second time, he stalked
back to the castle, and made a terrible scene. The castle shook under
the soles of his feet as he cried: "Out here with thy son, or the stone
that is highest in thy dwelling shall be the lowest." So, in great fear,
the Queen gave her son to the Giant.
The lad lived many years in the Giant's home. On a certain holiday, when
the Giant was away, the boy heard sweet music. Looking up the stairs he
saw a beautiful little maiden. She beckoned to him to come to her, then
said: "To-morrow you may choose between my two sisters for your bride;
but, I pray you, say you will take only me. My father is forcing me to
marry a Prince whom I hate."
On the morrow the Giant said: "Now, Prince, you may go home to-morrow,
and take with you either of my two eldest daughters as your wife."
The Giant was very angry when the Prince said: "I want only the pretty
little one."
The Giant in a great rage imposed three tasks upon the King's son. He
had to clean a byre, or cow-shed, which had not been cleaned for seven
years. Secondly, he was to thatch the byre with bird's down; and lastly,
he must climb a tall fir-tree and bring five eggs, unbroken, from the
magpie's nest for the Giant's breakfast. These tasks were too great for
any mortal to accomplish, but the youth was willing to try.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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