‘It sounds like the noise of Ian, the soldier’s son,’ said he; ‘but as yet he is only sixteen years old. Still, I had better look to it.’ And home he came. ‘Are you Ian, the soldier’s son?’ he asked, as he entered the castle. ‘No, of a surety,’ answered the youth, who had no wish that they should know him. ‘Then who are you in the leeward, or in the windward, or in the four brown boundaries of the sea, who are able to move my battle- chain?’ ‘That will be plain to you after wrestling with me as I wrestle with my mother. And one time she got the better of me, and two times she did not.’ So they wrestled, and twisted and strove with each other till the giant forced Ian to his knee. ‘You are the stronger,’ said Ian; and the giant answered: ‘All men know that!’ And they took hold of each other once more, and at last Ian threw the giant, and wished that the raven were there to help him. No sooner had he wished his wish than the raven came. ‘Put your hand under my right wing and you will find a knife sharp enough to take off his head,’ said the raven. And the knife was so sharp that it cut off the giant’s head with a blow. ‘Now go and tell the daughter of the king of Grianaig; but take heed lest you listen to her words, and promise to go no further, for she will seek to help you. Instead, seek the middle daughter, and when you have found her, you shall give me a piece of tobacco for reward.’ ‘Well have you earned the half of all I have,’ answered Ian. But the raven shook his head. ‘You know only what has passed, and nothing of what lies before. If you would not fail, wash yourself in clean water, and take balsam from a vessel on top of the door, and rub it over your body, and to-morrow you will be as strong as many men, and I will lead you to the dwelling of the middle one.’ Ian did as the raven bade him, and in spite of the eldest daughter’s entreaties, he set out to seek her next sister. He found her where she was seated sewing, her very thimble wet from the tears which she had shed. ‘What brought you here?’ asked the second sister. ‘Why may I not go where you can go?’ answered he; ‘and why are you weeping?’ ‘Because in one day I shall be married to the giant who is on the hunting hill.’ ‘How can I get him home?’ asked Ian. ‘Nought will bring him but a shake of that iron chain which hangs outside the gate. But there is neither to leeward, nor to westward, nor in the four brown boundaries of the sea, any man that can hold battle with him, save Ian, the soldier’s son, and he is now but sixteen years of age.’ ‘In the land whence I have come there are many men with the strength of Ian,’ said he. And he went outside and pulled at the chain, but he could not move it, and fell on his knees. At that he rose to his feet, and gathering up his strength mightily, he seized the chain, and this time he shook it so that three links broke. And the second giant heard it on the hunting hill, and lifted his head, thinking--