one of these," said the
_Princess_.

"Who? I?" said the lad. "'Twould be a pretty thing if I couldn't wield
one of these."

With that he put two or three chairs one a-top of the other, jumped
up, and touched the biggest sword with his finger tips, tossed it up
in the air, and caught it again by the hilt; leapt down, and at the
same time dealt such a blow with it on the floor that the whole hall
shook. After he had thus got down, he thrust the sword under his arm
and carried it about with him.

So, when they had lived a little while in the castle, the _Princess_
thought she ought to go home to her parents, and let them know what
had become of her; so they loaded a ship, and she set sail from the
castle.

After she had gone, and the lad had wandered about a little, he called
to mind that he had been sent out on an errand thither, and had come
to fetch something for his mother's health; and though he said to
himself, "After all the old dame was not so bad but she's all right by
this time"--still he thought he ought to go and just see how she was.
So he went and found both the man and his mother quite fresh and
hearty.

"What wretches you are to live in this beggarly hut," said the lad.
"Come with me up to my castle, and you shall see what a fine fellow I
am."

Well! they were both ready to go, and on the way his mother talked to
him, and asked how it was he had got so strong.

"If you must know it came of that blue belt which lay on the hill-side
that time when you and I were out begging," said the lad.

"Have you got it still?" asked she.

"Yes"--he had. It was tied round his waist.

"Might she see it?"

"Yes"--she might; and with that he pulled open his waistcoat and shirt
to show it to her.

Then she seized it with both hands, tore it off, and twisted it round
her fist.

"Now," she cried, "what shall I do with such a wretch as you? I'll
just give you one blow, and dash your brains out!"

"Far too good a death for such a scamp," said the _Troll_. "No! let's
first burn out his eyes, and then turn him adrift in a little boat."

So they burned out his eyes and turned him adrift, in spite of his
prayers and tears; but, as the boat drifted, the lions swam after, and
at last they laid hold of it and dragged it ashore on an island, and
placed the lad under a fir tree. They caught game for him, and they
plucked the birds and made him a bed of down; but he was forced to eat
his meat raw and he was blind. At