ame in and asked if his work was done. The Prince said
it was. Of course, the Giant did not believe him; but he went out to
see. When he came back he said very decidedly to the Prince: "You have
been talking to my Master-Maid. You could not have learned how to clean
that stable yourself."

But the Prince made himself appear as if he had never heard of the
maiden before, and asked such stupid questions that the Giant went away
satisfied, and left him to sleep.

Next morning, before the Giant set out with his goats, he again told
the Prince that he would find he was an easy master: all he had to
do that day was to catch the Giant's horse that was feeding on the
mountain-side. And having set him this task, the Giant said that if the
Prince opened one of the doors he would kill him. Then he took his
staff, and was soon out of sight.

Quick as the Giant disappeared, the Prince, who had no more interest in
the other rooms, opened the fourth door. The maiden asked him about his
day's task; and when she heard it; she told the Prince that the horse
would rush at him with flame bursting from its nostrils, and its mouth
wide open to tear him. But, she said, if he would take the bridle that
hung on the crook by the door, and fling it straight into the horse's
mouth, the beast would become quite tame. He promised to do so; and they
talked all day of pleasant things. And when it came toward evening the
maiden reminded him that the Giant would soon be home.

So the Prince went out to catch the horse; and everything happened as
the maiden said. But when the fiery horse rushed at him with open mouth
he watched his opportunity, and just at the right moment he flung the
bridle in between its teeth, and the horse stood still. Then the Prince
mounted it and rode it quietly home. He put the horse in the stable, and
went to his room, sat down and whistled to himself as if he did not know
there was a maiden in the world.

Very soon the Giant came in, and asked about the horse, and the Prince
said very quietly that it was in the stable. The Giant did not believe
him; but he went to see, and again accused the Prince of having been
talking to his Master-Maid.

The Prince pretended to be stupid, and asked silly questions, and said
he would like to see the maid. "You shall see her soon enough," the
Giant promised, and went away and left the Prince to go to sleep.

The next day, before the Giant set out, he told the Prince to go down
undergr