. Once
for all, show me this thing."

"Well, well," roared the giant, with fury, "wait till to-morrow and
you shall make her acquaintance."

"Thank you, master," said Yvon. "It is very good of you; but I see
from your face that you are laughing at me."

III

The next morning the giant went out without giving Yvon any orders,
which troubled Finette. At noon he returned without his flock,
complaining of the heat and fatigue, and said to the young girl:

"You will find a child, my servant, at the door. Cut his throat, put
him into the great pot to boil, and call me when the broth is ready."
Saying this, he stretched himself on the bed to take a nap, and was
soon snoring so loudly that it seemed like thunder shaking the
mountains.

Finette prepared a log of wood, took a large knife, and called Yvon.
She pricked his little finger; three drops of blood fell on the log.

"That is enough," said Finette; "now help me to fill the pot."

They threw into it all that they could find--old clothes, old shoes,
old carpets, and everything else. Finette then took Yvon by the hand
and led him through the three antechambers, where she ran in a mold
three bullets of gold, two bullets of silver, and one bullet of
copper, after which they quitted the house and ran toward the sea.

[Illustration: HE WAS SOON SNORING SO LOUDLY THAT IT SEEMED LIKE
THUNDER SHAKING THE MOUNTAINS]

"_On--the Kerver!_" cried Yvon, as soon as he saw himself in the
country. "Explain yourself, dear Finette; what farce are we playing
now?"

"Let us run--let us run!" she cried; "if we do not quit this wretched
island before night, it is all over with us."

"_On--the Kerver!_" replied Yvon, laughing, "and down with the giant!"

When he had snored a full hour, the giant stretched his limbs, half
opened one eye, and cried, "Is it ready?"

"It is just beginning to boil," answered the first drop of blood on
the log.

The giant turned over, and snored louder than ever for an hour or two
longer. Then he stretched his limbs, half opened one eye, and cried
out: "Do you hear me? Is it almost ready?"

"It is half done," answered the second drop of blood on the log.

The giant turned over, and slept an hour longer. Then he yawned,
stretched his great limbs, and cried out, impatiently:

"Isn't it ready yet?"

"It is ready now," answered the third drop of blood on the log.

The giant sat up in bed, rubbed his eyes, and looked around to see who
had spoken;