rooms, and appointed a hundred
dwarfs, dressed in blue and yellow satin, to wait upon her, and
harpers to play sweet music for her, and he gave her diamonds without
number, brighter than the sun; but he would not allow her to go
outside the castle, and told her if she went one step beyond its
doors, the hounds, with tongues of fire and claws of iron, would tear
her to pieces. A week after her arrival, war broke out between the
giant and the king of the islands, and before he set out for battle,
the giant sent for the princess, and informed her that on his return
he would make her his wife. When the princess heard this she began to
cry, for she would rather die than marry the giant who had slain her
father.

"Crying will only spoil your bright eyes, my little princess," said
Trencoss, "and you will have to marry me whether you like it or no."

He then bade her go back to her room, and he ordered the dwarfs to
give her everything she asked for while he was away, and the harpers
to play the sweetest music for her. When the princess gained her room
she cried as if her heart would break. The long day passed slowly, and
the night came, but brought no sleep to Eileen, and in the grey light
of the morning she rose and opened the window, and looked about in
every direction to see if there were any chance of escape. But the
window was ever so high above the ground, and below were the hungry
and ever watchful hounds. With a heavy heart she was about to close
the window when she thought she saw the branches of the tree that was
nearest to it moving. She looked again, and she saw a little white cat
creeping along one of the branches.

"Mew!" cried the cat.

"Poor little pussy," said the princess. "Come to me, pussy."

"Stand back from the window," said the cat, "and I will."

[Illustration: "'Poor little pussy,' said the Princess"--p. 42.]

The princess stepped back, and the little white cat jumped into the
room. The princess took the little cat on her lap and stroked him with
her hand, and the cat raised up its back and began to purr.

"Where do you come from, and what is your name?" asked the princess.

"No matter where I come from or what's my name," said the cat, "I am a
friend of yours, and I come to help you?"

"I never wanted help worse," said the princess.

"I know that," said the cat; "and now listen to me. When the giant
comes back from battle and asks you to marry him, say to him you will
marry him."

"But