live coal in the
middle of his forehead, his mouth stretched from ear to ear, his teeth
were long and crooked, the skin of his face was as black as night, and
his arms and chest were all covered with black, shaggy hair; round his
body was an iron band, and hanging from this by a chain was a great
club with iron spikes. With one blow of this club he could break a
rock into splinters, and fire could not burn him, and water could not
drown him, and weapons could not wound him, and there was no way to
kill him but by giving him three blows of his own club. And he was so
bad-tempered that the other giants called him Sharvan the Surly. When
the giant spied the red cap of the little fairy he gave the shout that
sounded like thunder. The poor fairy was shaking from head to foot.

"What brought you here?" said the giant.

"Please, Mr. Giant," said the fairy, "the king of the fairies banished
me here, and here I must stay for ever and a day, unless you come and
guard the fairy tree in Dooros Wood."

"Unless what?" roared the giant, and he gave the fairy a touch of his
foot that sent the little fellow rolling down head over heels.

The poor fairy lay as if he were dead, and then the giant, feeling
sorry for what he had done, took him up gently between his finger and
thumb.

[Illustration: "Sharvan took him up gently between his finger and
thumb"--p. 87.]

"Don't be frightened, little man," said he, "and now, tell me all
about the tree."

"It is the tree of the fairy berry that grows in the Wood of Dooros,"
said the fairy, "and I have some of the berries with me."

"Oh, you have, have you?" said the giant. "Let me see them."

The fairy took three berries from the pocket of his little green coat,
and gave them to the giant.

The giant looked at them for a second. He then swallowed the three
together, and when he had done so, he felt so happy that he began to
shout and dance for joy.

"More, you little thief!" said he. "More, you little----what's your
name?" said the giant.

"Pinkeen, please, Mr. Giant," said the fairy, as he gave up all the
berries.

The giant shouted louder than before, and his shouts were heard by all
the other giants, who came running towards him.

When Sharvan saw them coming, he caught up Pinkeen, and put him in his
pocket, that they shouldn't see him.

"What were you shouting for?" said the giants.

"Because," said Sharvan, "that rock there fell down on my big toe."

"You did not shout