d the bird and asked it its name. It replied,
"Sparrow-hawk," and flew away. Benito continued his journey until he
came to the seashore. There he could see no way of getting across, and,
remembering what the King had said if he failed, he stood looking out
over the sea, feeling very sad. The huge King of the Fishes saw him,
and swam toward him. "Why are you so sad?" asked the Fish.

"I wish to cross the sea to find the beautiful Princess," replied
the youth.

"Get on my back and I will take you across," said the King of the
Fishes.

Benito rode on the back of the Fish and crossed the sea. As soon as he
reached the other side, a fairy in the form of a woman appeared to him,
and became a great aid to him in his adventure. She knew exactly what
he wanted; so she told him that the Princess was shut up in a castle
guarded by giants, and that he would have to fight the giants before
he could reach her. For this purpose she gave him a magic sword,
which would kill on the instant anything it touched.

Benito now felt sure he could take the Princess from her cruel
guardsmen. He went to the castle, and there he saw many giants round
about it. When the giants saw him coming, they went out to meet him,
thinking to take him captive. They were so sure that they could easily
do it, that they went forth unarmed. As they came near, he touched
the foremost ones with his sword, and one after another they fell
down dead. The other giants, seeing so many of their number slain,
became terrified, and fled, leaving the castle unguarded.

The young man went to the Princess and told her that his master had
sent him to bring her to his palace. The young Princess was only
too glad to leave the land of the giants, where she had been held
captive. So the two set out together for the King's palace.

When they came to the sea they rode across it on the back of the
same fish that had carried Benito. They went through the forest,
and at last came to the palace. Here they were received with the
greatest rejoicings.

After a short time the King asked the Princess to become his wife. "I
will, O King!" she replied, "if you will get the ring I lost in the
sea as I was crossing it."

The monarch called Benito, and ordered him to find the ring which
had been lost on their journey from the land of the giants.

Obedient to his master, Benito started, and travelled on and on till
he came to the shore of the sea. There he stood, gazing sadly out
over t