e _Princess_.

She then told him to creep behind the big brewing vat which stood in
the front hall; meanwhile she would receive the troll and scratch his
heads till he went to sleep.

"And when I go out and call the hens you must make haste and come in,"
she said. "But you must first try if you can swing the sword which is
lying on the table." No, it was too heavy, he could not even move it.
He had then to take a strengthening draught from the horn, which hung
behind the door; after that he was just able to stir it, so he took
another draught, and then he could lift it. At last he took a right,
big draught, and he could swing the sword as easily as anything.

All at once the troll came home; he walked so heavily that the palace
shook.

"Ugh, ugh! I smell Christian flesh and blood in my house," said he.

"Yes," answered the _Princess_, "a raven flew past here just now, and
in his beak he had a human bone, which he dropped down the chimney; I
threw it out and swept and cleaned up after it, but I suppose it still
smells."

"So it does," said the troll.

"But come and lie down and I'll scratch your heads," said the
_Princess_; "the smell will be gone by the time you wake."

[Illustration: The Troll was quite willing, and before long he fell
asleep and began snoring.]

The troll was quite willing, and before long he fell asleep and began
snoring. When she saw he was sleeping soundly, she placed some stools
and cushions under his heads and went to call the hens. The soldier
then stole into the room with the sword, and with one blow cut all
the three heads off the troll.

The _Princess_ was as pleased as a fiddler, and went with the soldier
to her sisters, so that he could also set them free. First of all they
went across a courtyard and then through many long rooms till they
came to a big door.

"Here you must enter: here she is," said the _Princess_. When he
opened the door he found himself in a large hall, where everything
was of pure silver; there sat the second sister at a silver
spinning-wheel.

"Oh, dear; oh, dear!" she said. "What do you want here?"

"I want to set you free from the troll," said the soldier.

"Pray do not stay, but go," said the _Princess_. "If he finds you here
he will take your life on the spot."

"That would be awkward--that is if I don't take his first," said the
soldier.

"Well, since you will stay," she said, "you will have to creep behind
the big brewing-vat in the front ha