You would have laughed to see the giant ascend the stairway to the royal bedchambers, for the steps were too small for his feet, and it was with great difficulty that he managed to get a foothold with the toes of his boots. When at last he was safely inside his bedroom, the largest in the castle, it was found that the bedstead was not nearly long enough for him. So the princess gave orders that two cot beds be placed ends together, and in this way the giant, by allowing his feet to project through the open window, could lie down at full length. His feet nearly reached the tree that grew just outside, on which the little bluebird had perched for the night, and it was lucky, indeed, that it was midsummer, for otherwise our big friend might have caught a severe cold. After bidding the giant goodnight the little bluebird had a few minutes' talk with Ned while he undressed himself. [Illustration: THE STEPS WERE TOO SMALL FOR THE GIANT.] She agreed to act as sentinel during the night, to keep a vigilant lookout from the treetop, and in case of approaching danger instantly to awaken Ned and the giant. Gradually the great castle grew quiet, until nothing was stirring, "not even a mouse." At times the night wind rustled the leaves in the tree where the little bluebird sentinel sat winking and blinking, and the big yellow moon glistened fantastically on the big toe of the giant. Toward midnight a faint sound in the distance, like the beat of horses' hoofs, startled the bluebird. Hastily flying toward the castle entrance she gazed out upon the roadway that wound up from the valley below. At some distance she made out dimly the figures of a number of horsemen. Returning swiftly to the castle, she tweaked the giant's big toe. That, you can easily imagine, awoke him with a start. "What's the matter?" he asked in a frightened whisper which, although only a whisper, was enough to make the castle tremble, thereby awakening Ned and the princess herself. "The crafty stepfather of the princess is coming," answered the bluebird. "Then it's all up with me," cried the giant, "for he'll change me again into a pine tree." The bluebird made no reply, but hastened to find Ned. On entering his bedroom through the half open window she found him already dressing. "Take the ring," he said, slipping it over her glossy neck, after she had informed him of what she had seen. "If you can manage to touch him with it, this wicked man will find that he has no power whatever to harm us." "I will make haste," replied the little bird, "for they must by this time have reached the drawbridge." So saying she flew swiftly away and reached the other side of the moat just as the cavalcade set foot upon the bridge. Awaiting her opportunity to touch the wicked stepfather of the princess with the magic ring, she alighted quietly on the tip of a spear which one of the horsemen carried.