Folk-Lore and Legends; Scandinavian | Page 5

have that;
I will keep that safe under twelve locks."
While these things occurred at the giant's dwelling, the boy sat on the
other side of the water, rejoicing that he had got on so well.
The most difficult task, however, had yet to be done, and for a long
time he thought over how he could get the golden harp. At length he
determined to row over to the giant's place and see if fortune would
favour him.
No sooner said than done. He rowed over and went to a hiding-place.
The giant had, however, been on the watch, and had seen him. So he
rushed forward in a terrible rage and seized the boy, saying--
"So I have caught you at last, you young rascal. You it was who stole
my sword, my three gold hens, and my gold lantern."
The boy was terribly afraid, for he thought his last hour was come.
"Spare my life, father," said he humbly, "and I will never come here
again."
"No," replied the giant, "I will do the same with you as with the others.
No one slips alive out of my hands."
He then shut the boy up in a sty, and fed him with nuts and sweet milk,
so as to get him nice and fat preparatory to killing and eating him.
The lad was a prisoner, but he ate and drank and made himself as easy
as he could. After some time the giant wanted to find out if he were fat
enough to be killed. So he went to the sty, made a little hole in the wall,
and told the boy to put his finger through it. The lad knew what he

wanted; so instead of putting out his finger he poked out a little peeled
alder twig. The giant cut the twig, and the red sap ran out. Then he
thought the boy must be yet very lean since his flesh was so hard, so he
caused a greater supply of milk and nuts to be given to him.
Some time after, the giant again visited the sty, and ordered the boy to
put his finger through the hole in the wall. The lad now poked out a
cabbage-stalk, and the giant, having cut it with his knife, concluded that
the lad must be fat enough, his flesh seemed so soft.
The next morning the giant said to his wife--
"The boy seems to be fat enough now, mother; take him then to-day,
and bake him in the oven, while I go and ask our kinsfolk to the feast."
The old woman promised to do what her husband told her. So, having
heated the oven, she dragged out the boy to bake him.
"Sit on the shovel," said she.
The boy did so, but when the old woman raised the shovel the boy
always fell off. So they went on many times. At last the giantess got
angry, and scolded the boy for being so awkward; the lad excused
himself, saying that he did not know the way to sit on the shovel.
"Look at me," said the woman, "I will show you."
So she sat herself down on the shovel, bending her back and drawing
up her knees. No sooner was she seated than the boy, seizing hold of
the handle, pushed her into the oven and slammed the door to. Then he
took the woman's fur cloak, stuffed it out with straw, and laid it on the
bed. Seizing the giant's bunch of keys, he opened the twelve locks,
snatched up the golden harp, and ran down to his boat, which he had
hidden among the flags on the shore.
The giant soon afterwards came home.
"Where can my wife be?" said he. "No doubt she has lain down to sleep
a bit. Ah! I thought so."
The old woman, however, slept a long while, and the giant could not
wake her, though he was now expecting his friends to arrive.
"Wake up, mother," cried he, but no one replied. He called again, but
there was no response. He got angry, and, going to the bed, he gave the
fur cloak a good shake. Then he found that it was not his wife, but only
a bundle of straw put in her clothes. At this the giant grew alarmed, and
he ran off to look after his golden harp. He found his keys gone, the
twelve locks undone, and the harp missing. He went to the oven and

opened the door to see how the meat for the feast was going on. Behold!
there sat his wife, baked, and grinning at him.
Then the giant was almost mad with grief and rage, and he rushed out
to seek the lad who had done him all