thee one night for each of us, and if thou canst but endure that, thou
wilt set us free.'

'Yes,' answered the lad, 'I will certainly try to do so.'

'When thou goest in,' continued the Princess, 'two lions will stand by
the doorway, but if thou only goest straight between them they will do
thee no harm; go straight forward into a small dark chamber; there thou
shalt lie down. Then the Troll will come and beat thee, but thou
shalt take the flask which is hanging on the wall, and anoint thyself
wheresoever he has wounded thee, after which thou shalt be as well as
before. Then lay hold of the sword which is hanging by the side of the
flask, and smite the Troll dead.'

So he did what the Princess had told him. He walked straight in between
the lions just as if he did not see them, and then into the small
chamber, and lay down on the bed.

The first night a Troll came with three heads and three rods, and beat
the lad most unmercifully; but he held out until the Troll was done with
him, and then he took the flask and rubbed himself. Having done this, he
grasped the sword and smote the Troll dead.

In the morning when he went to the sea-shore the Princesses were out of
the earth as far as their waists.

The next night everything happened in the same way, but the Troll who
came then had six heads and six rods, and he beat him much more severely
than the first had done but when the lad went out of doors next morning,
the Princesses were out of the earth as far as their knees.

On the third night a Troll came who had nine heads and nine rods, and he
struck the lad and flogged him so long, that at last he swooned away; so
the Troll took him up and flung him against the wall, and this made the
flask of ointment fall down, and it splashed all over him, and he became
as strong as ever again.

Then, without loss of time, he grasped the sword and struck the Troll
dead, and in the morning when he went out of the castle the Princesses
were standing there entirely out of the earth. So he took the youngest
for his Queen, and lived with her very happily for a long time.

At last, however, he took a fancy to go home for a short time to see his
parents. His Queen did not like this, but when his longing grew so great
that he told her he must and would go, she said to him:

'One thing shalt thou promise me, and that is, to do what thy father
bids thee, but not what thy mother bids thee,' and this he promised.

So she gave him a r