op Geirald's horse, and ask leave to see the
robber's ring, which was said to have been stolen from the father of
the reigning king. And Geirald showed them the ring with pride, and
listened to their words of praise, and no one would ever have guessed
anyone else had destroyed the robbers.

In a few days they left that kingdom and rode on to another, where
they thought they would stop through the remainder of the winter, for
Geirald liked to be comfortable, and did not care about travelling
through ice and snow. But the king would only grant them leave to stop
on condition that, before the winter was ended, they should give him
some fresh proof of the courage of which he had heard so much.
Rosald's heart was glad at the king's message, and as for Geirald, he
felt that as long as Rosald was there all would go well. So they both
bowed low and replied that it was the king's place to command and
theirs to obey.

'Well, then,' said his Majesty, 'this is what I want you to do: In
the north-east part of my kingdom there dwells a giant, who has an
iron staff twenty yards long, and he is so quick in using it, that
even fifty knights have no chance against him. The bravest and
strongest young men of my court have fallen under the blows of that
staff; but, as you overcame the twelve robbers so easily, I feel that
I have reason to hope that you may be able to conquer the giant. In
three days from this you will set out.'

'We will be ready, your Majesty,' answered Rosald; but Geirald
remained silent.

* * * * *

'How can we possibly fight against a giant that has killed fifty
knights?' cried Geirald, when they were outside the castle. 'The king
only wants to get rid of us! He won't think about us for the next
three days--that is one comfort--so we shall have plenty of time to
cross the borders of the kingdom and be out of his reach.'

'We mayn't be able to kill the giant, but we certainly can't run away
till we have tried,' answered Rosald. 'Besides, think how glorious it
will be if we _do_ manage to kill him! I know what sort of weapon I
shall use. Come with me now, and I will see about it.' And, taking his
friend by the arm, he led him into a shop where he bought a huge lump
of solid iron, so big that they could hardly lift it between them.
However, they just managed to carry it to a blacksmith's where Rosald
directed that it should be beaten into a thick club, with a sharp
spike at one end.