Therefore the Prince resolved to employ other means
to combat this foe, who had doubtless been placed there
to bar his return. Retreating through the passage he
reached the room where he had been chained and wrenched
the iron post from its socket. It was a foot thick and
four feet long, and being of solid iron was so heavy
that three ordinary men would have found it hard to
lift.

Returning to the cavern, the boy swung the great bar
above his head and dashed it with mighty force full at
the giant. The end of the bar struck the monster upon
its forehead, and with a single groan it fell full
length upon the floor and lay still.

When the giant fell, the glow from its eyes faded
away, and all was dark. Cautiously, for Inga was not
sure the giant was dead, the boy felt his way toward
the opening that led to the middle cavern. The entrance
was narrow and the darkness was intense, but, feeling
braver now, the boy stepped boldly forward. Instantly
the floor began to sink beneath him and in great alarm
he turned and made a leap that enabled him to grasp the
rocky sides of the wall and regain a footing in the
passage through which he had just come.

Scarcely had he obtained this place of refuge when a
mighty crash resounded throughout the cavern and the
sound of a rushing torrent came from far below. Inga