spot and could neither see nor speak.

The third day the soldier was to remain at home, while the other two
went out shooting. The captain said he must take care of himself, "for
the old fellow will soon put an end to you, my lad," said he.

"Oh, there can't be much life in one if such an old crook can take
it," said the soldier.

They were no sooner outside the door, than the old man came in and
asked for a penny again.

"Money I have never owned," said the soldier, "but food I'll give you,
as soon as it is ready," said he, "but if we are to get it cooked, you
must go and cut the wood."

"That I can't," said the old man.

"If you can't, you must learn," said the soldier. "I will soon show
you. Come along with me down to the wood-shed." There he dragged out a
heavy log and cut a cleft in it, and drove in a wedge till the cleft
deepened.

"Now you must lie down and look right along the cleft, and you'll soon
learn how to cut wood," said the soldier. "In the meantime I'll show
you how to use the axe."

The old man was not sufficiently cunning, and did as he was told; he
lay down and looked steadily along the log. When the soldier saw the
old man's beard had got well into the cleft, he struck out the wedge;
the cleft closed and the old man was caught by the beard. The soldier
began to beat him with the axe handle, and then swung the axe round
his head, and vowed that he would split his skull if he did not tell
him, there and then, where the _Princesses_ were.

"Spare my life, spare my life, and I'll tell you!" said the old man.
"To the east of the house there is a big mound; on top of the mound
you must dig out a square piece of turf, and then you will see a big
stone slab. Under that there is a deep hole through which you must let
yourself down, and you'll then come to another world where you will
find the _Princesses_. But the way is long and dark and it goes both
through fire and water."

When the soldier got to know this, he released the old man, who was
not long in making off.

When the captain and lieutenant came home they were surprised to find
the soldier alive. He told them what had happened from first to last,
where the _Princesses_ were and how they should find them. They
became as pleased as if they had already found them, and when they had
had some food, they took with them a basket and as much rope as they
could find, and all three set off to the mound. There they first dug
out the turf just a