n?' asked he.

'I have cleaned it,' answered he.

'Well, since thou wert so active to-day, to-morrow thou wilt thatch this
byre with a feather from every different bird, or else thy blood shall
pay for it,' and he went out.

Before the sun was up, the youth took his bow and his quiver and set off
to kill the birds. Off to the moor he went, but never a bird was to be
seen that day. At last he got so tired with running to and fro that he
gave up heart.

'There is but one death I can die,' thought he. Then at midday came the
giant's daughter.

'Thou art tired, king's son?' said she.

'I am,' answered he; 'all these hours have I wandered, and there fell
but these two blackbirds, both of one colour.'

'Lay down thy weariness on the grass,' said she, and he did as she bade
him, and fell fast asleep.

When he woke the girl had disappeared, and he got up, and returned to
the byre. As he drew near, he rubbed his eyes hard, thinking he was
dreaming, for there it was, beautifully thatched, just as the giant had
wished. At the door of the house he met the giant.

'Hast thou thatched the byre, king's son?'

'I have thatched it.'

[Illustration: How the King's Son fetched the Magpie's Eggs]

'Well, since thou hast been so active to-day, I have something else for
thee! Beside the loch thou seest over yonder there grows a fir tree. On
the top of the fir tree is a magpie's nest, and in the nest are five
eggs. Thou wilt bring me those eggs for breakfast, and if one is cracked
or broken, thy blood shall pay for it.'

* * * * *

Before it was light next day, the king's son jumped out of bed and ran
down to the loch. The tree was not hard to find, for the rising sun
shone red on the trunk, which was five hundred feet from the ground to
its first branch. Time after time he walked round it, trying to find
some knots, however small, where he could put his feet, but the bark was
quite smooth, and he soon saw that if he was to reach the top at all, it
must be by climbing up with his knees like a sailor. But then he was a
king's son and not a sailor, which made all the difference.

However, it was no use standing there staring at the fir, at least he
must try to do his best, and try he did till his hands and knees were
sore, for as soon as he had struggled up a few feet, he slid back again.
Once he climbed a little higher than before, and hope rose in his heart,
then down he came with such force t