hat you are thinking
of, and of whom you are thinking," said the cat; "and it would be far
better for you to try and save her."

"I would give my life a thousand times over for her," said the
prince.

"For whom?" said the cat, with a wink. "I named no name, your
highness," said he.

"You know very well who she is," said the prince, "if you knew what I
was thinking of; but do you know where she is?"

"She is in danger," said the cat. "She is in the castle of the giant
Trencoss, in the valley beyond the mountains."

"I will set out there at once," said the prince "and I will challenge
the giant to battle, and will slay him."

"Easier said than done," said the cat. "There is no sword made by the
hands of man can kill him, and even if you could kill him, his hundred
hounds, with tongues of fire and claws of iron, would tear you to
pieces."

"Then, what am I to do?" asked the prince.

"Be said by me," said the cat. "Go to the wood that surrounds the
giant's castle, and climb the high tree that's nearest to the window
that looks towards the sunset, and shake the branches, and you will
see what you will see. Then hold out your hat with the silver plumes,
and three balls--one yellow, one red, and one blue--will be thrown
into it. And then come back here as fast as you can; but speak no
word, for if you utter a single word the hounds will hear you, and you
shall be torn to pieces."

Well, the prince set off at once, and after two days' journey he came
to the wood around the castle, and he climbed the tree that was
nearest to the window that looked towards the sunset, and he shook the
branches. As soon as he did so, the window opened and he saw the
Princess Eileen, looking lovelier than ever. He was going to call out
her name, but she placed her fingers on her lips, and he remembered
what the cat had told him, that he was to speak no word. In silence he
held out the hat with the silver plumes, and the princess threw into
it the three balls, one after another, and, blowing him a kiss, she
shut the window. And well it was she did so, for at that very moment
she heard the voice of the giant, who was coming back from hunting.

The prince waited until the giant had entered the castle before he
descended the tree. He set off as fast as he could. He went up hill
and down dale, and never stopped until he arrived at his own palace,
and there waiting for him was the little white cat.

"Have you brought the three balls?" said