, whose name was Molly Whuppie, was bold,
so she counselled her sisters not to despair, but to try and find some
house where they might get a night's lodging. So they set off through
the forest, and journeyed, and journeyed, and journeyed, but never a
house did they see. It began to grow dark, her sisters were faint with
hunger, and even Molly Whuppie began to think of supper. At last in the
distance they saw a great big light, and made for it. Now when they drew
near they saw that it came from a huge window in a huge house.

"It will be a giant's house," said the two elder girls, trembling with
fright.

"If there were two giants in it I mean to have my supper," quoth Molly
Whuppie, and knocked at a huge door, as bold as brass. It was opened by
the giant's wife, who shook her head when Molly Whuppie asked for
victuals and a night's lodging.

"You wouldn't thank me for it," she said, "for my man is a giant, and
when he comes home he will kill you of a certainty."

"But if you give us supper at once," says Molly craftily, "we shall have
finished it before the giant comes home; for we are very sharp-set."

Now the giant's wife was not unkindly; besides, her three daughters, who
were just of an age with Molly and her sisters, tugged at her skirts
well pleased; so she took the girls in, set them by the fire, and gave
them each a bowl of bread and milk. But they had hardly begun to gobble
it up before the door burst open, and a fearful giant strode in saying:

"_Fee-fi-fo-fum,
I smell the smell of some earthly one._"

"Don't put yourself about, my dear," said the giant's wife, trying to
make the best of it. "See for yourself. They are only three poor little
girlies like our girlies. They were cold and hungry so I gave them some
supper; but they have promised to go away as soon as they have
finished. Now be a good giant and don't touch them. They've eaten of
our salt, so don't _you_ be at fault!"

Now this giant was not at all a straightforward giant. He was a
double-faced giant. So he only said,

"Umph!"

and remarked that as they had come, they had better stay all night,
since they could easily sleep with his three daughters. And after he had
had his supper he made himself quite pleasant, and plaited chains of
straw for the little strangers to wear round their necks, to match the
gold chains his daughters wore. Then he wished them all pleasant dreams
and sent them to bed.

Dear me! He _was_ a double-face