uld you look so sour?"

"May I not be excused?" said the soldier. "This day I am turned out,
of home and heritage, and yet I am the true heir."

"Nevertheless we shall blossom when you return," said the hedges.

When he had wandered for three days and three nights, all he had was
spent, and there was no shelter to be seen but a dark gloomy forest,
which stretched before him. Just then he saw a small, weazened old
woman, who was trying to lift a bundle of sticks on to her back.

"That is too heavy for you, good mother," said the soldier; and he
raised and adjusted it for her.

"Have you just come here?" muttered the old crone; "then the best
thanks I can give you is to bid you get away as fast as you can."

"I never retreated yet, dame," said the soldier, and on he went.

Presently he met with a giant, who was strolling along by the edge of
the wood, knocking the cones off the tops of the fir-trees with his
finger-nails. He was an ill-favoured-looking monster, but he said,
civilly enough, "You look in want of employment, comrade. Will you
take service with me?"

"I must first know two things," answered the soldier; "my work and my
wages."

"Your work," said the giant, "is to cut a path through this wood to
the other side. But then you shall have a year and a day to do it in.
If you do it within the time, you will find at the other end a
magpie's nest, in which is the ring of which you are in search. The
nest also contains the crown jewels which have been stolen, and if you
take these to the king, you will need no further reward. But, on the
other hand, if the work is not done within the time, you will
thenceforth be my servant without wages."

"It is a hard bargain," said the soldier, "but need knows no law, and
I agree to the conditions."

When he came into the giant's abode, he was greatly astonished to see
the little weazened old woman. She showed no sign of recognizing him,
however, and the soldier observed a like discretion. He soon
discovered that she was the giant's wife, and much in dread of her
husband, who treated her with great cruelty.

"To-morrow you shall begin to work," said the giant.

"If you please," said the soldier, and before he went to bed he
carried in water and wood for the old woman.

"There's a kinship in trouble," said he.

Next morning the giant led him to a certain place on the outskirts of
the forest, and giving him an axe, said, "The sooner you begin, the
better, and you