drinking-horn was empty and the sword gone, while the princess
reported that half of her handkerchief and one of her slippers had
been taken away. How the giants had been killed seemed a little
clearer now, but who had done it was as great a puzzle as before.
The old knight who had charge of the castle said that in his opinion
it must have been some young knight, who had immediately set off
to the king to claim the hand of the princess. This sounded likely,
but the messenger who was sent to the Court returned with the
news that no one there knew anything about the matter.

'We must find him, however,' said the princess; 'for if he is willing
to marry me I cannot in honour refuse him, after what my father put
on the horn.' She took council with her father's wisest men as to
what ought to be done, and among other things they advised her to
build a house beside the highway, and put over the door this
inscription:--'Whoever will tell the story of his life, may stay here
three nights for nothing.' This was done, and many strange tales
were told to the princess, but none of the travellers said a word
about the three giants.

In the meantime Niels and the others tramped on towards Rome.
Autumn passed, and winter was just beginning when they came to
the foot of a great range of mountains, towering up to the sky.
'Must we go over these?' said they. 'We shall be frozen to death or
buried in the snow.'

'Here comes a man,' said Niels; 'let us ask him the way to Rome.'
They did so, and were told that there was no other way.

'And is it far yet?' said the old people, who were beginning to be