ces.

The hero dipped his hands in the dark liquid, and felt his strength
redoubled. He pushed against the door again, and the door and door-posts
too came thundering to the ground. The maidens fled into the adjoining
room, crying out to him not to approach them till he had dipped his
hands in the white liquid, which would remove the enchantment. He
laughed, and, notwithstanding their entreaties, followed them into the
next room, where he saw a naked sword, a small willow wand, and a ragged
old hat hanging on the wall. "Look," cried he joyfully, "this is the
sword which I saw forged for me in my dream!"

"Beware," said one of the maidens, "do not touch that sword, for it
belongs to Sarvik; but take the rod and the hat, for they are yours, and
you can work any wonders with them. Swords you can only obtain from the
smith himself."

But the Kalevide answered that he could have his will without the
wishing-rod and cap, which were only fit for witches and wizards. So the
maiden, who was anxious to convince him of the value of the treasures
which he despised, took down the hat from its peg. It was made of the
cuttings of finger-nails,[71] and she declared that there was not
another like it in the world, for it could fulfil every desire of its
possessor. So she put it on her head and said--

"Raise thee, raise thee, golden[72] maiden,
Blue-eyed maiden, raise thee, raise thee,
Like unto the son of Kalev,
Like unto thy friend in stature."

She began at once to grow taller, ell after ell, till she grew fully as
tall as the son of Kalev himself.

Then the Kalevide took the hat from her head and set it on his own,
wishing to become as small as she had been. His stature immediately
sank, ell after ell, till he was reduced to the size of an ordinary
man.[73] The young giantess took back the hat, and wished to resume her
former stature, which accordingly befell.

The Kalevide then said to the maiden that he would willingly remain a
little boy that day for her sake, but he was now anxious to keep the
hat, that he might at once resume his own stature and strength in case
of any sudden and unexpected danger. They sang and danced and sported to
their heart's content, and the maiden called her second sister, whose
duty it was to polish the gold, silver, and copper ware; and her third
sister, who tended the geese on the common; and the sisters locked and
bolted the kitchen door, for fear the old woman should hear th