little dark room, and make your bed. Then the Troll will come to whip
you; but if you take the flask which hangs on the wall, and rub
yourself with the ointment that's in it, wherever his lash falls,
you'll be as sound as ever. Then grasp the sword that hangs by the
side of the flask and strike the Troll dead.'

Yes, he did as the Princess told him; he passed in the midst between
the lions, as if he hadn't seen them, and went straight into the
little room, and there he lay down to sleep. The first night there
came a Troll with three heads and three rods, and whipped the lad
soundly; but he stood it till the Troll was done; then he took the
flask and rubbed himself, and grasped the sword and slew the Troll.

So, when he went out next morning, the Princesses stood out of the
earth up to their waists.

The next night 'twas the same story over again, only this time the
Troll had six heads and six rods, and he whipped him far worse than
the first; but when he went out next morning, the Princesses stood
out of the earth as far as the knee. The third night there came a
Troll that had nine heads and nine rods, and he whipped and flogged
the lad so long that he fainted away; then the Troll took him up and
dashed him against the wall; but the shock brought down the flask,
which fell on the lad, burst, and spilled the ointment all over him,
and so he became as strong and sound as ever again. Then he wasn't
slow; he grasped the sword and slew the Troll; and next morning when
he went out of the castle the Princesses stood before him with all
their bodies out of the earth. So he took the youngest for his Queen,
and lived well and happily with her for some time.