’Oh，you’realuckyfellow！’saidBigKlaus。’DoyouthinkI
shouldalsogetsomecattleifIwenttothebottomoftheriver？’
’Oh，yes！Ithinkso，’saidLittleKlaus。’ButIcan’tcarryyouinasacktotheriver；youaretooheavyforme！Ifyouliketogothereyourselfandthencreepintothesack，Iwillthrowyouinwiththegreatestofpleasure。’
’Thankyou，’saidBigKlaus；’butifIdon’tgetanysea-cattlewhenIcomethere，youwillhaveagoodhiding，mind！’
’Oh，no！Don’tbesohardonme！’Thentheywenttotheriver。
Whenthecattle，whichwerethirsty，caughtsightofthewater，theyranasquicklyastheycouldtodrink。
’Lookhowtheyarerunning！’saidLittleKlaus。’Theywanttogotothebottomagain！’
’Yes；buthelpmefirst，’saidBigKlaus，’orelseyoushallhaveabeating！’
Andsohecreptintothelargesack，whichwaslyingonthebackofoneoftheoxen。’Putastonein，forIamafraidImaynotreachthebottom，’saidBigKlaus。
’Itgoesallright！’saidLittleKlaus；butstillhelaidabigstoneinthesack，fastenedituptight，andthenpusheditin。
Plump！therewasBigKlausinthewater，andhesanklikeleadtothebottom。
’Idoubtifhewillfindanycattle！’saidLittleKlausashedrovehisownhome。
FromtheIcelandic。
OnceuponatimetherewasaKingandhisQueenintheirkingdom。
Theyhadonedaughter，whowascalledIngiborg，andoneson，whosenamewasRing。Hewaslessfondofadventuresthanmenofrankusuallywereinthosedays，andwasnotfamousforstrengthorfeatsofarms。Whenhewastwelveyearsold，onefinewinterdayherodeintotheforestalongwithhismentoenjoyhimself。
Theywentonalongway，untiltheycaughtsightofahindwithagoldringonitshorns。ThePrincewaseagertocatchit，ifpossible，sotheygavechaseandrodeonwithoutstoppinguntilallthehorsesbegantofounderbeneaththem。AtlastthePrince’shorsegavewaytoo，andthentherecameoverthemadarknesssoblackthattheycouldnolongerseethehind。Bythistimetheywerefarawayfromanyhouse，andthoughtitwashightimetobemakingtheirwayhomeagain，buttheyfoundtheyhadgotlostnow。Atfirsttheyallkepttogether，butsooneachbegantothinkthatheknewtherightwaybest；sotheyseparated，andallwentindifferentdirections。
ThePrince，too，hadgotlostliketherest，andwanderedonforatimeuntilhecametoalittleclearingintheforestnotfarfromthesea，wherehesawawomansittingonachairandabigbarrelstandingbesideher。ThePrincewentuptoherandsalutedherpolitely，andshereceivedhimverygraciously。Helookeddownintothebarrelthen，andsawlyingatthebottomanunusuallybeautifulgoldring，whichpleasedhimsomuchthathecouldnottakehiseyesoffit。Thewomansawthis，andsaidthathemighthaveitifhewouldtakethetroubletogetit；forwhichthePrincethankedher，andsaiditwasatleastworthtrying。Soheleanedoverintothebarrel，whichdidnotseemverydeep，andthoughthewouldeasilyreachthering；butthemorehestretcheddownafteritthedeepergrewthebarrel。Ashewasthusbendingdownintoitthewomansuddenlyroseupandpushedhiminheadfirst，sayingthatnowhecouldtakeuphisquartersthere。Thenshefixedthetoponthebarrelandthrewitoutintothesea。
ThePrincethoughthimselfinabadplightnow，ashefeltthebarrelfloatingoutfromthelandandtossingaboutonthewaves。
Howmanydayshespentthushecouldnottell，butatlasthefeltthatthebarrelwasknockingagainstrocks，atwhichhewasalittlecheered，thinkingitwasprobablylandandnotmerelyareefinthesea。Beingsomethingofaswimmer，heatlastmadeuphismindtokickthebottomoutofthebarrel，andhavingdonesohewasabletogetonshore，fortherocksbytheseaweresmoothandlevel；butoverheadtherewerehighcliffs。Itseemeddifficulttogetupthese，buthewentalongthefootofthemforalittle，tillatlasthetriedtoclimbup，whichatlasthedid。
Havinggottothetop，helookedroundabouthimandsawthathewasonanisland，whichwascoveredwithforest，withapplesgrowing，andaltogetherpleasantasfarasthelandwasconcerned。Afterhehadbeenthereseveraldays，heonedayheardagreatnoiseintheforest，whichmadehimterriblyafraid，sothatherantohidehimselfamongthetrees。ThenhesawaGiantapproaching，draggingasledgeloadedwithwood，andmakingstraightforhim，sothathecouldseenothingforitbuttoliedownjustwherehewas。WhentheGiantcameacrosshim，hestoodstillandlookedatthePrinceforalittle；thenhetookhimupinhisarmsandcarriedhimhometohishouse，andwasexceedinglykindtohim。Hegavehimtohiswife，sayinghehadfoundthischildinthewood，andshecouldhaveittohelpherinthehouse。Theoldwomanwasgreatlypleased，andbegantofondlethePrincewiththeutmostdelight。Hestayedtherewiththem，andwasverywillingandobedienttothemineverything，whiletheygrewkindertohimeveryday。
OnedaytheGianttookhimroundandshowedhimallhisroomsexcepttheparlour；thismadethePrincecurioustohavealookintoit，thinkingtheremustbesomeveryraretreasurethere。
Sooneday，whentheGianthadgoneintotheforest，hetriedtogetintotheparlour，andmanagedtogetthedooropenhalf-way。
Thenhesawthatsomelivingcreaturemovedinsideandranalongthefloortowardshimandsaidsomething，whichmadehimsofrightenedthathesprangbackfromthedoorandshutitagain。
Assoonasthefrightbegantopassoffhetrieditagain，forhethoughtitwouldbeinterestingtohearwhatitsaid；butthingswentjustasbeforewithhim。Hethengotangrywithhimself，and，summoningupallhiscourage，trieditathirdtime，andopenedthedooroftheroomandstoodfirm。ThenhesawthatitwasabigDog，whichspoketohimandsaid:
’Chooseme，PrinceRing。’
ThePrincewentawayratherafraid，thinkingwithhimselfthatitwasnogreattreasureafterall；butallthesamewhatithadsaidtohimstuckinhismind。
ItisnotsaidhowlongthePrincestayedwiththeGiant，butonedaythelattercametohimandsaidhewouldnowtakehimovertothemainlandoutoftheisland，forhehimselfhadnolongtimetolive。Healsothankedhimforhisgoodservice，andtoldhimtochoosesome-oneofhispossessions，forhewouldgetwhateverhewanted。Ringthankedhimheartily，andsaidtherewasnoneedtopayhimforhisservices，theyweresolittleworth；butifhedidwishtogivehimanythinghewouldchoosewhatwasintheparlour。TheGiantwastakenbysurprise，andsaid:
’There，youchosemyoldwoman’srighthand；butImustnotbreakmyword。’
UponthishewenttogettheDog，whichcamerunningwithsignsofgreatdelight；butthePrincewassomuchafraidofitthatitwasallhecoulddotokeepfromshowinghisalarm。
AfterthistheGiantaccompaniedhimdowntothesea，wherehesawastoneboatwhichwasjustbigenoughtoholdthetwoofthemandtheDog。OnreachingthemainlandtheGianttookafriendlyfarewellofRing，andtoldhimhemighttakepossessionofallthatwasintheislandafterheandhiswifedied，whichwouldhappenwithintwoweeksfromthattime。ThePrincethankedhimforthisandforallhisotherkindnesses，andtheGiantreturnedhome，whileRingwentupsomedistancefromthesea；buthedidnotknowwhatlandhehadcometo，andwasafraidtospeaktotheDog。AfterhehadwalkedoninsilenceforatimetheDogspoketohimandsaid:
’Youdon’tseemtohavemuchcuriosity，seeingyouneveraskmyname。’
ThePrincethenforcedhimselftoask，’Whatisyourname？’
’YouhadbestcallmeSnati-Snati，’saidtheDog。’NowwearecomingtoaKing’sseat，andyoumustasktheKingtokeepusallwinter，andtogiveyoualittleroomforbothofus。’
ThePrincenowbegantobelessafraidoftheDog。TheycametotheKingandaskedhimtokeepthemallthewinter，towhichheagreed。WhentheKing’smensawtheDogtheybegantolaughatit，andmakeasiftheywouldteaseit；butwhenthePrincesawthisheadvisedthemnottodoit，ortheymighthavetheworstofit。Theyrepliedthattheydidn’tcareabitwhathethought。
AfterRinghadbeenwiththeKingforsomedaysthelatterbegantothinktherewasagreatdealinhim，andesteemedhimmorethantheothers。TheKing，however，hadacounsellorcalledRed，whobecameveryjealouswhenhesawhowmuchtheKingesteemedRing；andonedayhetalkedtohim，andsaidhecouldnotunderstandwhyhehadsogoodanopinionofthisstranger，whohadnotyetshownhimselfsuperiortoothermeninanything。TheKingrepliedthatitwasonlyashorttimesincehehadcomethere。Redthenaskedhimtosendthembothtocutdownwoodnextmorning，andseewhichofthemcoulddomostwork。
Snati-SnatiheardthisandtoldittoRing，advisinghimtoasktheKingfortwoaxes，sothathemighthaveoneinreserveifthefirstonegotbroken。NextmorningtheKingaskedRingandRedtogoandcutdowntreesforhim，andbothagreed。Ringgotthetwoaxes，andeachwenthisownway；butwhenthePrincehadgotoutintothewoodSnatitookoneoftheaxesandbegantohewalongwithhim。IntheeveningtheKingcametolookovertheirday’swork，asRedhadproposed，andfoundthatRing’swood-heapwasmorethantwiceasbig。
’Isuspected，’saidtheKing，’thatRingwasnotquiteuseless；
neverhaveIseensuchaday’swork。’
RingwasnowinfargreateresteemwiththeKingthanbefore，andRedwasallthemorediscontented。OnedayhecametotheKingandsaid，’IfRingissuchamightyman，Ithinkyoumightaskhimtokillthewildoxeninthewoodhere，andflaythemthesameday，andbringyouthehornsandthehidesintheevening。’
’Don’tyouthinkthatadesperateerrand？’saidtheKing，’seeingtheyaresodangerous，andnoonehaseveryetventuredtogoagainstthem？’
Redansweredthathehadonlyonelifetolose，anditwouldbeinterestingtoseehowbravehewas；besides，theKingwouldhavegoodreasontoennoblehimifheovercamethem。TheKingatlastallowedhimself，thoughratherunwillingly，tobewonoverbyRed’spersistency，andonedayaskedRingtogoandkilltheoxenthatwereinthewoodforhim，andbringtheirhornsandhidestohimintheevening。Notknowinghowdangeroustheoxenwere，Ringwasquiteready，andwentoffatonce，tothegreatdelightofRed，whowasnowsureofhisdeath。