Tales of Giants from Brazil | Page 4

of the court
before him in their gorgeous garments of purple and cloth of silver and
cloth of gold, nor of the face of the queen.
"O royal majesty," said the little old woman as she bowed low before
him, "there is only one thing in the whole world which will restore your
lost eyesight. It is the water of the fountain of Giantland. Bathe your
eyes in that water and your lost eyesight will be restored at once."

"How can I obtain this wonderful water?" asked the king. "Giantland is
a long distance from my kingdom and I do not know the way there."
The king, the queen, and all the courtiers held their breaths to listen to
the reply of the little old woman.
"Your Majesty will need to build a strong fleet to sail up the great river
which leads to Giantland," she said. "The expedition will need as its
leader a prince with a brave heart, for there will be many perils on the
way to test his mettle. The fountain of Giantland is at the summit of a
long steep rocky mountain, and it can be reached only by a prince who
ascends the mountain looking neither to the right nor to the left. All
along the way stand huge giants ready to enslave one the moment he
stops looking straight ahead. If one should succeed in climbing the
mountain the fountain is there at the summit, but it is guarded by a
dragon. One can approach it only when the dragon is asleep. Many
princes have tried this quest and all have failed. If you should be able to
send a prince brave enough and wise enough to succeed, there at the
top of the mountain he will find a little old woman who will tell him
whether or not the dragon is asleep."
With these words the little old woman withdrew from the royal
presence. The king pondered over her advice. Then he sent for the three
princes and told them the story.
"O my father, I am brave and wise," said the eldest prince as soon as he
had heard his father's words. "I will go upon this quest. I will bring you
a bottle of the water of the fountain of Giantland that your sight may be
restored."
The king ordered a great fleet to be prepared to sail up the river to
Giantland. He collected an enormous sum of money to provide for the
prince. The whole kingdom buzzed with preparation for the journey.
The prince planted an orange tree in the palace garden and said to his
younger brother, "Keep close watch of this tree. If its leaves begin to
wither you will know that some evil has befallen me. Come to my aid."
The eldest prince set out with a great fleet and his pockets lined with

gold. He anchored in many harbors along the way. The prince was very
fond of gaming and there were many opportunities to play. Before he
had reached Giantland he had lost the golden linings from his pockets.
After the prince had sailed up the great river which leads to Giantland
he saw the steep rocky mountain towering before him. He set a bottle
for the water of the fountain of Giantland carefully upon his head and
slowly ascended the steep path. He kept his eyes fixed straight ahead.
Soon, however, he heard giant voices shouting at him. From the corners
of his eyes he could see giant forms along the pathway. He forgot that
he must look neither to the right nor to the left.
The moment the prince turned his eyes a giant immediately seized him
and made him his slave. "You shall be my slave for ever and a day,"
said the giant, "unless you have gold enough in your pockets to pay
your ransom." The prince had no gold.
At home in the palace garden the leaves of the orange tree which the
eldest prince had planted began to wither. His younger brother noticed
it at once and went to the king. "O my father," said he, "I know that my
brother has fallen into trouble. I must go to his aid."
The king at once prepared another great fleet. He provided the prince
with even more gold than his brother had taken with him. Every one in
the whole kingdom did his best to hasten the preparations.
In the palace garden the prince planted a lemon tree and called the
youngest prince into the garden. The youngest prince was playing with
his dogs. He was a mere boy. "Keep close watch of this lemon tree
while I am away," said the prince. "If its leaves begin to wither you will
know that I am in trouble. Come to my