thin and jaded, which
they had once bestrode. There was also the Giant's bed of iron, with a
covering of carved brass, and with curtains of leaves of gold. After
this she pointed out to him a pond of crystal water, on which swam six
milk-white swans, with crowns of gold upon their heads.

"Know, brave Champion, that these six swans are my sisters," she
observed. "We all seven are the daughters of the King of Georgia. As
we were out hunting one day the Giant from the battlements of his castle
espied us, and, rushing down, bore us off under his arms before anyone
could come to our rescue. My sisters, by the power of a kind fairy who
had attended at their birth, were transformed into swans, that they
might escape the tyranny of the Giant, though she was unable to release
them altogether. I, the eldest, retained my natural form; for, from my
skill in music, I could always quell his anger and tame him into
subjection. Though I might perchance have escaped, I remained, in hope
some day of liberating my sisters. Now, if the good fairy can be found,
we may tell her of the Giant's death, and bring her hither to restore
them to their natural shapes."

"Most lovely lady, we will fly at once to your father's capital, and
send the fairy hither to perform her grateful task," exclaimed the
Knight, placing the hand of the Princess in his own. So, taking the
keys of the castle, which were of wonderous weight, they locked up the
gates, and mounting their steeds, followed by Niccolo with the Giant's
gory head, they proceeded to the Georgian Court.

On reaching the gate of the city they heard a peal of bells solemnly
tolling forth a funeral knell. On inquiring the cause of this, the aged
porter replied:--

"The bells toll for the King's seven daughters. There are seven bells,
each one called after the name of a Princess, which never have ceased
this doleful melody since the loss of the unhappy ladies, nor ever will
till they return."

"Then their tasks are finished," answered the noble-minded Rosalinde.
"We bring you tidings of the Princesses."

Whereat the aged porter, ravished with joy, ran to the steeple and
stopped the bells. Hearing the bells cease their wonted mournful
melody, up started the King of Georgia, and hastened to the gate to
inquire the cause. There, to his joy, he beheld his long-lost daughter
in company with a strange knight and attendant squire. Hearing the
wonderful tale, he commanded all his court