counted a
hundred. Then he turned to the right, and walked through the long
grass to the bent mullein stalk, which pointed to the right, and after
he had found the brook and crossed by way of the shining pebbles, he
heard a strange bird singing, and saw among the trees the fairy
palace.

He never could tell how it looked; but he thought it was made of
sunshine, with the glimmer of green leaves reflected on it, and that
it had the blue sky for a roof.

That was the palace; and at one side of it was the workshop, built of
strong pines and oaks; and the giant heard the hum of wheels, and the
noise of the fairy looms, where the fairies wove carpets of rainbow
threads.

When the giant came to the door, the doorway stretched itself for him
to pass through. He found Fairy Skill standing in the midst of the
workers; and when he had given her the good woman's love, she received
him kindly. Then she set him to work, bidding him sort a heap of
tangled threads that lay in a corner like a great bunch of
bright-colored flowers.

This was hard work for the giant's clumsy fingers, but he was very
patient about it. The threads would break, and he got some of them
into knots; but when Fairy Skill saw his work, she said:

"Very good for to-day;" and touching the threads with her wand, she
changed them into a tangled heap again. The next day the giant tried
again, and after that again, until every thread lay unbroken and
untangled.

Then Fairy Skill said, "Well done," and led him to a loom and showed
him how to weave.

This was harder work than the other had been; but Giant Energy was
patient, although many times before his strip of carpet was woven the
fairy touched it with her wand, and he had to begin over.

At last it was finished, and the giant thought it was the most
beautiful carpet in the world.

Fairy Skill took him next to the potter's wheel, where cups and
saucers were made out of clay; and the giant learned to be steady, to
shape the cup as the wheel whirled round, and to take heed of his
thumb, lest it slip.

The cups and saucers that were broken before he could make beautiful
ones would have been enough to set the Queen's tea table!

Fairy Skill then took him to the goldsmith, and there he was taught to
make chains and bracelets and necklaces; and after he had learned all
these things, the fairy told him that she had three trials for him.
Three pieces of work he must do; and if he did them well, he could go