iant's castle this
evening, when you'll be tired and hungry, and the eldest princess
to-morrow evening; and you may as well bring them here with you. You
need not ask leave of their masters; they're only housekeepers with the
big fellows. I suppose, if they ever get home, they'll look on poor
people as if they were flesh and blood like themselves."

Away went the prince, and bedad it's tired and hungry he was when he
reached the first castle at sunset. Oh, wasn't the second princess glad
to see him! And if she didn't give him a good supper it's a wonder. But
she heard the giant at the gate, and she hid the prince in a closet.
Well, when he came in, he snuffed, and he snuffed, an' says he, "_Be_
(by) the life, I smell fresh mate." "Oh," says the princess, "it's only
the calf I got killed to-day." "Ay, ay," says he, "is supper ready?"
"It is," says she; and before he ruz from the table he hid
three-quarters of the calf and a kag of wine. "I think," says he, when
all was done, "I smell fresh mate still." "It's sleepy you are," says
she; "go to bed." "When will you marry me?" says the giant; "you're
puttin' me off too long." "St. Tibb's Eve," says she. "I wish I knew how
far off that is," says he; and he fell asleep with his head in the dish.

Next day he went out after breakfast, and she sent the prince to the
castle where the eldest sister was. The same thing happened there; but
when the giant was snoring, the princess wakened up the prince, and they
saddled two steeds in the stables, and _magh go bragh_ (the field for
ever) with them. But the horses' heels struck the stones outside the
gate, and up got the giant, and after them he made. He roared, and he
shouted, and the more he shouted the faster ran the horses; and just as
the day was breaking he was only twenty perches behind. But the prince
didn't leave the Castle of _Seven Inches_ without being provided with
something good. He reined in his steed, and flung a short, sharp knife
over his shoulder, and up sprung a thick wood between the giant and
themselves. They caught the wind that blew before them, and the wind
that blew behind them did not catch them. At last they were near the
castle where the other sister lived; and there she was, waiting for them
under a high hedge, and a fine steed under her.

But the giant was now in sight, roaring like a hundred lions, and the
other giant was out in a moment, and the chase kept on. For every two
springs the horses gave the