would not allow her to go outside the castle, and told her if she went
one step beyond its doors, the hounds, with tongues of fire and claws of
iron, would tear her to pieces. A week after her arrival, war broke out
between the giant and the King of the Islands, and before he set out for
battle, the giant sent for the princess, and informed her that on his
return he would make her his wife. When the princess heard this she
began to cry, for she would rather die than marry the giant who had
slain her father.

"Crying will only spoil your bright eyes, my little princess," said
Trencoss, "and you will have to marry me whether you like it or no."

He then bade her go back to her room, and he ordered the dwarfs to give
her everything she asked for while he was away, and the harpers to play
the sweetest music for her. When the princess gained her room she cried
as if her heart would break. The long day passed slowly, and the night
came, but brought no sleep to Eileen, and in the gray light of the
morning she rose and opened the window, and looked about in every
direction to see if there were any chance of escape. But the window was
ever so high above the ground, and below were the hungry and ever
watchful hounds. With a heavy heart she was about to close the window
when she thought she saw the branches of the tree that was nearest to
it moving. She looked again, and she saw a little white cat creeping
along one of the branches.

"Mew!" cried the cat.

"Poor little pussy," said the princess. "Come to me, pussy."

"Stand back from the window," said the cat, "and I will."

The princess stepped back, and the little white cat jumped into the
room. The princess took the little cat on her lap and stroked him with
her hand, and the cat raised up its back and began to purr.

"Where do you come from, and what is your name?" asked the princess.

"No matter where I come from or what's my name," said the cat. "I am a
friend of yours, and I come to help you."

"I never wanted help worse," said the princess.

"I know that," said the cat; "and now listen to me. When the giant comes
back from battle and asks you to marry him, say to him you will marry
him."

"But I will never marry him," said the princess.

"Do what I tell you," said the cat. "When he asks you to marry him, say
to him you will if his dwarfs will wind for you three balls from the
fairy dew that lies on the bushes on a misty morning as big as these,"
said the cat