ey.

Ah, how sad it looked! It was a glorious death, but it was death. My
songs could not comfort me now. I was almost ashamed that I was alive,
when they, the true-hearted, were no more. And yet I breathed freer to
think that I had gone through the trial, and had not failed. And perhaps
I may be forgiven, if some feelings of pride arose in my bosom, when I
looked down on the mighty form that lay dead by my hand.

"After all, however," I said to myself, and my heart sank, "it was only
skill. Your giant was but a blunderer."

I left the bodies of friends and foes, peaceful enough when the
death-fight was over, and, hastening to the country below, roused the
peasants. They came with shouting and gladness, bringing waggons to
carry the bodies. I resolved to take the princes home to their father,
each as he lay, in the arms of his country's foe. But first I searched
the giants, and found the keys of their castle, to which I repaired,
followed by a great company of the people. It was a place of wonderful
strength. I released the prisoners, knights and ladies, all in a sad
condition, from the cruelties and neglects of the giants. It humbled me
to see them crowding round me with thanks, when in truth the glorious
brothers, lying dead by their lonely tower, were those to whom the
thanks belonged. I had but aided in carrying out the thought born
in their brain, and uttered in visible form before ever I laid hold
thereupon. Yet I did count myself happy to have been chosen for their
brother in this great dead.

After a few hours spent in refreshing and clothing the prisoners, we all
commenced our journey towards the capital. This was slow at first; but,
as the strength and spirits of the prisoners returned, it became more
rapid; and in three days we reached the palace of the king. As we
entered the city gates, with the huge bulks lying each on a waggon drawn
by horses, and two of them inextricably intertwined with the dead bodies
of their princes, the people raised a shout and then a cry, and followed
in multitudes the solemn procession.

I will not attempt to describe the behaviour of the grand old king. Joy
and pride in his sons overcame his sorrow at their loss. On me he heaped
every kindness that heart could devise or hand execute. He used to sit
and question me, night after night, about everything that was in any
way connected with them and their preparations. Our mode of life,
and relation to each other, during the time