"
said he.

"You know very well who she is," said the prince, "if you knew what I
was thinking of; but do you know where she is?"

"She is in danger," said the cat. "She is in the castle of the giant
Trencoss, in the valley beyond the mountains."

"I will set out there at once," said the prince, "and I will challenge
the giant to battle, and will slay him."

"Easier said than done," said the cat. "There is no sword made by the
hands of man can kill him, and even if you could kill him, his hundred
hounds, with tongues of fire and claws of iron, would tear you to
pieces."

"Then, what am I to do?" asked the prince.

"Be said by me," said the cat. "Go to the wood that surrounds the
giant's castle, and climb the high tree that's nearest to the window
that looks towards the sunset, and shake the branches, and you will see
what you will see. Then hold out your hat with the silver plumes, and
three balls--one yellow, one red, and one blue--will be thrown into it.
And then come back here as fast as you can; but speak no word, for if
you utter a single word the hounds will hear you, and you shall be torn
to pieces."

Well, the prince set off at once, and after two days' journey he came to
the wood around the castle, and he climbed the tree that was nearest to
the window that looked towards the sunset, and he shook the branches.
As soon as he did so, the window opened and he saw the Princess Eileen,
looking lovelier than ever. He was going to call out her name, but she
placed her fingers on her lips, and he remembered what the cat had told
him, that he was to speak no word. In silence he held out the hat with
the silver plumes, and the princess threw into it the three balls, one
after another, and, blowing him a kiss, she shut the window. And well
it was she did so, for at that very moment she heard the voice of the
giant, who was coming back from hunting.

The prince waited until the giant had entered the castle before he
descended the tree. He set off as fast as he could. He went up hill and
down dale, and never stopped until he arrived at his own palace, and
there waiting for him was the little white cat.

"Have you brought the three balls?" said he.

"I have," said the prince.

"Then follow me," said the cat.

On they went until they left the palace far behind and came to the edge
of the sea.

"Now," said the cat, "unravel a thread of the red ball, hold the thread
in your right hand, drop the ball into the w