The Gentle Giant laughed until the stars would have rattled in the sky if it had been night. “I don’t have company of your size very often,” he said, “and I forget my manners.” Then he took Silvergirl in one great hand and Silverboy in the other and carried them out under the trees. “I’ll lie down on the moss,” he said, “and you can talk right into my ear. Tell me who you are and where you are going.” So the Gentle Giant stretched himself out on the ground and Silverboy called into his ear:-- “We live in a cottage in our own forest, far as far away from here. Our father and our mother want a silver door, and we are going to find one for them.” “How do you know where to look?” asked the Gentle Giant, rather drowsily, for he was getting sleepy. “We asked the Wizard Squirrel, and he told us to go to the All-Alone Axe. The All-Alone Axe told us to come here. We thought at first that the Wizard Squirrel meant us to call out to the Moon King, but he didn’t.” “Eh!” shouted the Gentle Giant, starting up. “What’s that?” “We thought he meant that we should call out to the Moon King, but he didn’t,” repeated Silverboy. “Are you sure as sure that he didn’t say ‘the Moon Lady’?” demanded the Gentle Giant eagerly. “No, he didn’t,” Silverboy answered, “but he said we must get the All-Alone Axe to promise not to cut down the Ancient Oak.” “Did he promise?” the Gentle Giant asked. “He said he would not touch the Ancient Oak if we could get you to promise not to drag away his trees after he has cut them down.” “But I have to,” declared the Gentle Giant earnestly. “You see, I must build a big house to bring her to if she should ever marry me.” “It seems to me that your house is pretty big now,” said Silvergirl. But the Gentle Giant shook his great head. “No,” he said. “I wanted it as big as all outdoors, but it isn’t more than half as big.” “When is she coming?” asked Silverboy. “I don’t know,” replied the Gentle Giant sadly. “When I asked her to marry me, she only laughed; but maybe she’ll change her mind some day, and I should be so ashamed if I hadn’t a house big enough for her.” And the Gentle Giant dropped a tear as big as a waterpail. It fell upon Silvergirl and wet her from head to foot, but the Gentle Giant was so busy thinking that he did not notice the mischief he had done. “I hope she’ll come,” declared Silverboy warmly. “So do I,” said Silvergirl. The Gentle Giant sat for a long while gazing on a mountain that could just be seen through the trees. He seemed to be hard at work thinking. At last he turned to Silvergirl and asked:-- “So you really think this house is big enough, do you?” “Indeed I do,” declared Silvergirl.