ry soon he heard a 'sh-'sh of the leaves, and there was the Stalo
pushing his way through the undergrowth to see what chance he had of
a dinner. At the first glimpse of Patto's head in the well he laughed
loudly, crying:

'Ha! ha! This time it is the old ass! I wonder how he will taste?' And
drawing Patto out of the well, he flung him across his shoulders and
carried him home. Then he tied a cord round him and hung him over the
fire to roast, while he finished a box that he was making before the
door of the hut, which he meant to hold Patto's flesh when it was
cooked. In a very short time the box was so nearly done that it only
wanted a little more chipping out with an axe; but this part of the work
was easier accomplished indoors, and he called to one of his sons who
were lounging inside to bring him the tool.

The young man looked everywhere, but he could not find the axe, for the
very good reason that Patto had managed to pick it up and hide it in his
clothes.

'Stupid fellow! what is the use of you?' grumbled his father angrily;
and he bade first one and then another of his sons to fetch him the
tool, but they had no better success than their brother.

'I must come myself, I suppose!' said Stalo, putting aside the box. But,
meanwhile, Patto had slipped from the hook and concealed himself behind
the door, so that, as Stalo stepped in, his prisoner raised the axe, and
with one blow the ogre's head was rolling on the ground. His sons were
so frightened at the sight that they all ran away.

And in this manner Patto avenged his dead children.

But though Stalo was dead, his three sons were still living, and not
very far off either. They had gone to their mother, who was tending some
reindeer on the pastures, and told her that by some magic, they knew not
what, their father's head had rolled from his body, and they had been so
afraid that something dreadful would happen to them that they had come
to take refuge with her. The ogress said nothing. Long ago she had found
out how stupid her sons were, so she just sent them out to milk the
reindeer, while she returned to the other house to bury her husband's
body.

Now, three days' journey from the hut on the pastures two brothers Sodno
dwelt in a small cottage with their sister Lyma, who tended a large herd
of reindeer while they were out hunting. Of late it had been whispered
from one to another that the three young Stalos were to be seen on the
pastures, but the Sod