e precious indeed, since they would grind out of nothing anything
that the miller might wish.

So King Frode sent messengers over the world to find for him two
servants who would be strong enough to grind with the millstones, and
after a long, long time his messengers found him two maid-servants, who
were bigger and stronger than anyone in Denmark had ever seen. But no
one guessed that these were really Giant-Maidens who bore a grudge
against all of the race of Odin.

Directly the Giant-Maidens were brought before Frode, and before they
had rested after their long journey, or satisfied their hunger, he bade
them go to the mill, and grind for him gold and peace and happiness.

"They sang and swung
The swift mill stone,
And with loud voice
They made their moan.
'We grind for Frode
Wealth and gold
Abundant riches
He shall behold.'"

Presently Frode came into the mill to see that the new servants were
performing their task diligently. And as he watched them from the shadow
by the door, the maidens stayed their grinding for a while to rest.

The greedy man could not bear to see even an instant's pause, and he
came out of the shadow, and bade them, with harsh words, go on grinding,
and cease not except for so long as the cuckoo was silent, or while he
himself sang a song. Now it was early summer-time, and the cuckoo was
calling all the day and most of the night.

So the Giant-Maidens waxed very wroth with King Frode, and as they
resumed their labours they sang a song of the hardness of their lot in
the household of this pitiless King.

They had been grinding out wealth and happiness and peace, but now they
bade the magic stones to grind something very different.

Presently, as the great stones moved round and round, Frode, who still
stood by, heard one chant in a low, sing-song voice,--

"I see a fire east of the town--the curlews awake and sound a note of
warning. A host approaches in haste, to burn the dwelling of the king."

And the next took up her song,--

"No longer will Frode sit on his throne, and rule over rings of red gold
and mighty millstones. Now must we grind with all our might--and,
behold! red warriors come forth--and revenge, and bloodshed, and ruin."

Then Frode shook from head to foot in his terror, for he heard the tramp
of a mighty host of warriors advancing from the sea. And as he looked
for a way of escape, the braces of the millstones brok