"I came because I wished you to see my dog, for I well know you would
like to have him."
The lad was ready enough, and the bargain was made. So he got the big
dog, giving his last hog for it. The old man then departed, saying--
"I think you will be satisfied with your bargain. The dog is not like
other dogs. He is called Quick-ear, and so quick does he hear, that he
knows all that takes place, be it ever so many miles away. Why, he hears
even the trees and the grass growing in the fields!"
Then the old man went off, and the lad felt very happy, for he thought
he had nothing now to be afraid of.
As evening came on the boy went home, and his mother was sorely grieved
when she found her son had parted with her all; but he told her to bid
farewell to sorrow, saying that he would see she had no loss. The lad
spoke so well that the old woman was quite pleased. At daybreak the lad
went out a-hunting with his two dogs, and in the evening he came back
with as much game as he could carry. He hunted till his mother's larder
was well stocked, then he bade her farewell, telling her he was going to
travel to see what fortune had in store for him, and called his dogs to
him.
He travelled on over hills, and along gloomy roads, till he got deep in
a dark forest. There the old man with the gray beard met him. The lad
was very glad to fall in with him again, and said to him--
"Good-day, father. I thank you for our last meeting."
"Good-day," answered the old man. "Where are you going?"
"I am going into the world," said the boy, "to see what fortune I shall
have."
"Go on," said the old man, "and you will come to a royal palace; there
you will have a change of fortune."
With that they parted; but the lad paid good heed to the old man's
words, and kept on his way. When he came to a house, he played on his
pipe while his dogs danced, and so he got food and shelter, and whatever
he wanted.
Having travelled for some days, he at last entered a large city,
through the streets of which great crowds of people were passing. The
lad wondered what was the cause of all this. At last he came to where
proclamation was being made, that whoever should rescue the three
princesses from the hands of the mountain giants should have one of them
for his wife and half the kingdom with her. Then the lad remembered what
the old man had told him, and understood what he meant. He called his
dogs to him, and went on till he came to the palace. There, from the
time that the princesses disappeared, the place had been filled with
sorrow and mourning, and the king and the queen grieved more than all
the others. The boy entered the palace, and begged to be allowed to play
to the king and show him his dogs. The people of the palace were much
pleased at this, for they thought it might do something to make the king
forget his grief. So they let him go in and show what he could do. When
the king heard how he played, and saw how wonderfully his dogs danced,
he was so merry that no one had seen him so during the seven long years
that had passed since he lost his daughters. When the dancing was
finished, the king asked the boy what he should give him as a return for
the amusement he had given them.
"My lord king," said the boy, "I am not come here for silver, goods, or
gold! I ask one thing of you, that you will give me leave to go and seek
the three princesses who are now in the hands of the mountain giants."
When the king heard this he knit his brow--"So you think," said he,
"that you can restore my daughters. The task is a dangerous one, and men
who were better than you have suffered in it. If, however, any one save
the princesses I will never break my word."
The lad thought these words kingly and honest. He bade farewell to the
king and set out, determined that he would not rest till he had found
what he wanted.
He travelled through many great countries without any extraordinary
adventure, and wherever he went his dogs went with him. Quick-ear ran
and heard what there was to hear in the place; Hold-fast carried the
bag; and on Tear, who was the strongest of the three, the lad rode when
he was tired. One day Quick-ear came running fast to his master to tell
him that he had been near a high mountain, and had heard one of the
princesses spinning within it. The giant, Quick-ear said, was not at
home. At this the boy felt very glad, and he made haste to the mountain
with his dogs. When they were come to it, Quick-ear said--
"We have no time to lose. The giant is only ten miles away, and I can
hear his horse's golden shoes beating on the stones."
The lad at once ordered his dogs to break in the door of the mountain,
which they did. He entered, and saw a beautiful maiden who sat spinning
gold thread on a spindle of gold. He stepped forward and spoke to her.
She was much astonished, and said--"Who are you, that dare to come into
the giant's hall? For seven long years have I lived here, and never
during that time have I looked on a human being. Run away, for Heaven's
sake, before the giant comes, or you will lose your life."
The boy told her his errand, and said he would await the troll's coming.
While they were talking, the giant came, riding on his gold-shod horse,
and stopped outside the mountain. When he saw that the door was open he
was very angry, and called out, in such a voice that the whole mountain
shook to its base, "Who has broken open my door?" The boy boldly
answered--
"I did it, and now I will break you too. Hold-fast, hold him fast; Tear
and Quick-ear, tear him into a thousand pieces!"
Hardly had he spoken the words when the three dogs rushed forward, threw
themselves on the giant, and tore him into numberless pieces. The
princess was very glad, and said--
"Heaven be thanked! Now I am free." She threw herself on the lad's neck
and kissed him. The lad would not stop in the place, so he saddled the
giant's horses, put on them all the goods and gold he found, and set off
with the beautiful young princess. They travelled together for a long
time, the lad waiting on the maiden with that respect and attention that
such a noble lady deserved.
It chanced one day that Quick-ear, who had gone before to obtain news,
came running fast to his master and informed him that he had been to a
high mountain, and had heard another of the king's daughters sitting
within it spinning gold thread. The giant, he said, was not at home. The
lad was well pleased to hear this, and hastened to the mountain with his
three dogs. When they arrived there, Quick-ear said--
"We have no time to waste. The giant is but eight miles off. I can hear
the sound of his horse's gold shoes on the stones!"
The lad ordered the dogs to break in the door, and when they had done so
he entered and found a beautiful maiden sitting in the hall, winding
gold thread. The lad stepped forward and spoke to her. She was much
surprised, and said--
"Who are you, who dare to come into the giant's dwelling? Seven long
years have I lived here, and never during that time have I looked on a
human being. Run away, for Heaven's sake, before the giant comes, or you
will lose your life."
The lad told her why he had come, and said he would wait for the giant's
return home.
In the midst of their talk the giant came, riding on his gold-shod
horse, and stopped outside the mountain. When he saw the door was open
he was in a great rage, and called out with such a voice that the
mountain shook to its base.
"Who," said he, "has broken open my door?" The lad answered boldly--
"I did it, and now I will break you. Hold-fast, hold him fast; Tear and
Quick-ear, tear him into a thousand pieces!" The dogs straightway sprang
forward and threw themselves on the giant, and tore him into pieces as
numberless as are the leaves which fall in the autumn. Then the princess
was very glad, and said--
"Heaven be thanked! Now I am free!" She threw herself on the lad's neck
and kissed him. He led her to her sister, and one can well imagine how
glad they were to meet. The lad took all the treasures that the giant's
dwelling contained, put them on the gold-shod horses, and set out with
the two princesses.
They again travelled a great distance, and the youth waited on the
princesses with the respect and care they deserved.
It chanced one day that Quick-ear, who went before to get news, came
running fast to his master, and told him he had been near a high
mountain, and had heard the third princess sitting within, spinning
cloth of gold. The giant himself was not in. The youth was well pleased
to hear this, and he hurried to the mountain accompanied by his dogs.
When they came there, Quick-ear said--
"There is no time to be lost. The giant is not more than five miles off.
I well know it. I hear the sound of his horse's gold shoes on the
stones."
The lad told his dogs to break in the door, and they did so. When he
entered the mountain he saw there a maiden, sitting and weaving cloth of
gold. She was so beautiful that the lad thought another such could not
be found in the world. He advanced and spoke to her. The young princess
was much astonished, and said--
"Who are you, who dare to come into the giant's hall? For seven long
years have I lived here, and never during that time have I looked on a
human being. For Heaven's sake," added she, "run away before the giant
comes, or he will kill you!"
The lad, however, was brave, and said that he would lay down his life
for the beautiful princess.
In the middle of their talk home came the giant, riding on his horse
with the golden shoes, and stopped at the mountain. When he came in and
saw what unwelcome visitors were there he was very much afraid, for he
knew what had happened to his brethren. He thought it best to be careful
and cunning, for he dared not act openly. He began therefore with fine
words, and was very smooth and amiable. He told the princess to dress
meat, so that he might entertain the guest, and behaved in such a
friendly manner that the lad was perfectly deceived, and forgot to be on
his guard. He sat down at the table with the giant. The princess wept in
secret, and the dogs were very uneasy, but no one noticed it.