ames and feasting and fair maidens.

Soon the youngest prince had reached Giantland. Above him rose the
rough steep rocky mountain. Before he started to make the ascent he
first stuffed cotton in his ears. Then he carefully placed upon his
head a bottle to fill with the water of the fountain of Giantland.

He climbed up the steep mountain looking neither to the right nor to
the left. Through the cotton in his ears he could faintly hear the
giant voices calling him. From the corners of his eyes he could see
the giant forms along the pathway. He resolutely kept his eyes fixed
straight ahead and steadily climbed upward though the path was very
rough and full of stones. The cotton in his ears prevented him from
hearing the voices of his two brothers crying out when the giants beat
them.

At length the lad was in sight of the fountain at the summit of the
mountain. The little old woman was standing in the path, watching his
ascent. As soon as he came near to her he took the cotton out of his
ears so that he might hear what she had to say to him.

"You have arrived at a safe moment," the little old woman told him.
"The dragon is asleep."

The little old woman helped the prince fill the bottle with water from
the fountain. Then she said, "The dragon which guards the fountain is
an enchanted princess. No prince has ever before been brave enough and
wise enough to reach this spot. In a year and a day from this moment
her enchantment will be broken. Come again and claim her as your
bride."

The little old woman gave the prince a ring, and the prince drew a
ring from his own finger and gave it to the little old woman. "When
the enchantment is broken put my ring upon the finger of the
princess," he said. "Expect me back in a year and a day. I'll be sure
to come."

The prince made his way back down the steep slope of the mountain,
guarding his bottle full of the water of the fountain of Giantland
with the utmost care. When he was half way down the mountain he saw
his two brothers standing in his path.

"_Viva_," cried they. "You have been successful. You have a bottle
full of the water from the fountain. Now if you also have your pockets
full of gold you can pay our ransom and we will return with you to our
father's kingdom."

"My pockets are still lined with gold which my father gave me," said
the youngest prince. "Help yourselves. It is yours if it can serve
you." There was more than enough money to pay the ransom of h