shall not have that;
I will keep that safe under twelve locks."

While these things occurred at the giant's dwelling, the boy sat on the
other side of the water, rejoicing that he had got on so well.

The most difficult task, however, had yet to be done, and for a long
time he thought over how he could get the golden harp. At length he
determined to row over to the giant's place and see if fortune would
favour him.

No sooner said than done. He rowed over and went to a hiding-place. The
giant had, however, been on the watch, and had seen him. So he rushed
forward in a terrible rage and seized the boy, saying--

"So I have caught you at last, you young rascal. You it was who stole my
sword, my three gold hens, and my gold lantern."

The boy was terribly afraid, for he thought his last hour was come.

"Spare my life, father," said he humbly, "and I will never come here
again."

"No," replied the giant, "I will do the same with you as with the
others. No one slips alive out of my hands."

He then shut the boy up in a sty, and fed him with nuts and sweet milk,
so as to get him nice and fat preparatory to killing and eating him.

The lad was a prisoner, but he ate and drank and made himself as easy as
he could. After some time the giant wanted to find out if he were fat
enough to be killed. So he went to the sty, made a little hole in the
wall, and told the boy to put his finger through it. The lad knew what
he wanted; so instead of putting out his finger he poked out a little
peeled alder twig. The giant cut the twig, and the red sap ran out. Then
he thought the boy must be yet very lean since his flesh was so hard, so
he caused a greater supply of milk and nuts to be given to him.

Some time after, the giant again visited the sty, and ordered the boy to
put his finger through the hole in the wall. The lad now poked out a
cabbage-stalk, and the giant, having cut it with his knife, concluded
that the lad must be fat enough, his flesh seemed so soft.

The next morning the giant said to his wife--

"The boy seems to be fat enough now, mother; take him then to-day, and
bake him in the oven, while I go and ask our kinsfolk to the feast."

The old woman promised to do what her husband told her. So, having
heated the oven, she dragged out the boy to bake him.

"Sit on the shovel," said she.

The boy did so, but when the old woman raised the shovel the boy always
fell off. So they went on many times. At last the gi