"God grant that no hand but mine
may draw this knife out from the wall," he went quickly away. He
climbed up by one fir-tree and down by the other, and so got over the
wall. Arrived at the Giants' cave, he took some fire and ran back to
his brothers, who were still buried in profound slumber. As he kindled
the fire day began to dawn in the east. He wakened the brothers, and
they set forth upon their journey.

That same day they came to the highway leading to the before-mentioned
city. A mighty Emperor reigned there who used to go about the city
every morning shedding bitter tears because his people were
exterminated and eaten by the Giants, and because of his constant fear
that his only daughter would fall a sacrifice to their gluttony. On
this morning he was going about the city as usual. It lay empty and
deserted; the inhabitants had dwindled away to a mere remnant; most of
them had found a grave in the giants' maws.

As I have said, the Emperor was thus reviewing his city when suddenly
his eyes fell upon the uprooted fir-tree which still leaned against
the wall, and as he drew nearer he beheld a wonderful sight; there lay
the nine Giants, the very pests of the city, with their heads all cut
off!

This sight gave the King unspeakable joy. The people also gathered
together to pray God that blessing and happiness might descend upon
the giant-slayer. At that very moment a servant came from the imperial
citadel to say that a serpent had nearly been the death of the
Emperor's daughter. Upon this the Emperor betook himself straightway
to the citadel, and to the very chamber of his daughter. Arrived
there, he saw upon the wall the impaled serpent, and tried with his
own hand to draw out the knife, but in vain.

Then the Emperor sent a proclamation through his whole empire:
"Whoever has slain the Giants and impaled the serpent, let him make
himself known, that the Emperor may richly reward him and bestow upon
him the hand of his daughter."

This proclamation was issued in every province of the empire. The
Emperor also gave command that great inns should be erected upon the
principal highways, where all travellers should be stopped and asked
whether they knew who had overcome the giants; and whoever should
discover the man, let him hasten with utmost speed to the Emperor to
receive a rich reward.

According to the imperial proclamation, great inns were erected upon
the principal highways, and every traveller was stopp