Ting-a-ling | Page 8

off; and it's a lady--all but the boots--and the Princess has run
away! O dear! O dear!"
"Come now!" said Tur-il-i-ra, "Ting-a-ling, get into my pocket. I must
see into this myself, for I can't be waiting here all night, you know."
So the Giant, still standing on the barn, lifted off the roof of the tower,
and threw it to some distance. He then, by the moonlight, examined the
upper story, but, finding no Prince or Princess, brushed down the walls
until he came to the floor, and, taking it up, he looked carefully over

the next story. This he continued, until he had torn down the whole
tower, and found no one but servants and guards, who ran away in all
directions, like ants when you destroy their hills. He then kicked down
all those walls which connected the tower with the rest of the palace,
and, when it was all level with the ground, he happened to notice,
almost at his feet, a circular opening like an entrance to a vault, from
which arose a very pleasant smell as of something good to eat.
Stooping down to see what it was that caused this agreeable perfume,
he perceived that at the distance of a few yards the aperture terminated
in a huge yellow substance, in which, upon a closer inspection, he saw
four feet sticking up--two with slippers, and two with green stockings.
"Why, this is strange!" said he, and, stooping down, he felt the
substance, and found it was quite soft and yielding. He then loosened it
by passing his hand around it, and directly lifted it out almost entire.
"By the beard of the Prophet!" he cried, "but this is a cheese!" and,
turning it over, he saw on the other side two heads, one with short black
hair, and the other covered with beautiful brown curls.
"Why, here they are! As I'm a living Giant! these must be the Prince
and Princess, stowed away in a cheese!" And he laughed until the very
hills cracked.
When he got a little over his merriment, he asked the imprisoned
couple how they got there, and if they felt comfortable. They replied
that they had fallen down a trap, and had gone nearly through this
cheese, where they had stuck fast, and that was all they had known
about it; and if the blood did not run down into their heads so, they
would be pretty comfortable, thank him--which last remark the Giant
accounted for by the fact, that, when lovers are near each other, they do
not generally pay much attention to surrounding circumstances.
"This, then," said he, rising, "is where the King hardens his cheeses, is
it? Well, well, it's a jolly go!" And he laughed some more.
"O Tur-il-i-ra," cried Ting-a-ling, looking out from the vest-pocket,
"I'm so glad you've found them."

"Well, so am I," said the Giant.
Then Tur-il-i-ra, still holding the cheese, walked away for a little
distance, and sat down on a high bank, intending to wait there until
morning, when he would call on the King, and confer with him in
relation to his new-found treasure. Leaning against a great rock, the
Giant put the cheese upon his knees in such a manner as not to injure
the heads and feet of the lovers, and dropped into a very comfortable
sleep.
"Don't I wish I could get my arms out!" whispered the Prince.
"O my!" whispered the Princess.
Ting-a-ling, having now nothing to occupy his mind, and desiring to
stretch his legs, got out of the vest-pocket where he had remained so
safely during all the disturbance, and descended to the ground to take a
little walk. He had not gone far before he met a young friend, who was
running along as fast as he could.
"Hallo! Ting-a-ling," cried the other. "Is that you? Come with me, and I
will show you the funniest thing you ever saw in your life."
"Is it far?" said Ting-a-ling, "for I must be back here by daylight."
"O no! come on. It won't take you long, and I tell you, it's fun!"
So away they ran, merrily vaulting over the hickory-nuts, or acorns,
that happened to be in their way, in mere playfulness, as if they were
nothing. They soon came to a large, open space, so brightly lighted by
the moon, that every object was as visible as if it were daylight.
Scattered over the smooth green were thousands of fairies of
Ting-a-ling's nation, the most of whom were standing gazing intently at
a very wonderful sight.
Seated on a stone, under a great tree that stood all alone in the centre of
this plain, was a woman without any head. She moved her hands
rapidly about over her shoulders, as if