et him come near her. And, worse than that, her sisters
began to cluck so loud that the Sister of the Sun was awakened by the
noise. She jumped up in haste from her bed, and going to the door she
said to the boy:

'You shall never, never, have my hen till you bring me back my
sister who was carried off by a giant to his castle, which is a long
way off.'

[Illustration: THE GOLDEN HEN WILL NOT BE CAUGHT]

Slowly and sadly the youth left the palace and told his story to his
friends, who were waiting outside the gate, how he had actually held
the hen three times in his arms and had lost her.

'I knew that we should not get off so easily,' said the fox, shaking
his head; 'but there is no more time to waste. Let us set off at once
in search of the sister. Luckily, I know the way.'

They walked on for many days, till at length the fox, who, as usual,
was going first, stopped suddenly.

'The giant's castle is not far now,' he said, 'but when we reach it
you two must remain outside while I go and fetch the princess.
Directly I bring her out you must both catch hold of her tight, and
get away as fast as you can; while I return to the castle and talk to
the giants--for there are many of them--so that they may not notice
the escape of the princess.'

A few minutes later they arrived at the castle, and the fox, who had
often been there before, slipped in without difficulty. There were
several giants, both young and old, in the hall, and they were all
dancing round the princess. As soon as they saw the fox they cried
out: 'Come and dance too, old fox; it is a long time since we have
seen you.'

So the fox stood up, and did his steps with the best of them; but
after a while he stopped and said:

'I know a charming new dance that I should like to show you; but it
can only be done by two people. If the princess will honour me for a
few minutes, you will soon see how it is done.'

'Ah, that is delightful; we want something new,' answered they, and
placed the princess between the outstretched arms of the fox. In one
instant he had knocked over the great stand of lights that lighted the
hall, and in the darkness had borne the princess to the gate. His
comrades seized hold of her, as they had been bidden, and the fox was
back again in the hall before anyone had missed him. He found the
giants busy trying to kindle a fire and get some light; but after a
bit someone cried out:

'Where is the princess?'

'Here, in my arms,'