Nielstookoutthesilverstopperofthehorn,anddranksomeofthewine,butwhenhetriedtotakedowntheswordhefoundhimselfunabletomoveit.Sohehungupthehornagain,andwentfurtherintothecastle.‘’hesaid.Beforelonghecametoanapartmentinwhichabeautifulprincesslayasleepinabed,andonatablebyhersidetherelayagold-hemmedhandkerchief.Nielstorethisintwo,andputonehalfinhispocket,leavingtheotherhalfonthetable.Onthefloorhesawapairofgold-embroideredslippers,andoneofthesehealsoputinhispocket.Afterthathewentbacktothehall,andtookdownthehornagain.‘PerhapsIhavetodrinkallthatisinitbeforeIcanmovethesword,’hethought;soheputittohislipsagainanddranktillitwasquiteempty.Whenhehaddonethis,hecouldwieldtheswordwiththegreatestofease,andfelthimselfstrongenoughtodoanything,eventofightthegiantshehadleftoutside,whowerenodoubtwonderingwhyhehadnotopenedthegatetothembeforethistime.Tokillthegiants,hethought,wouldbeusingtheswordfortheright;butastowinningtheloveoftheprincess,thatwasathingwhichthesonofapoorsheep-farmerneednothopefor.WhenNielscametothegateofthecastle,hefoundthattherewasalargedoorandasmallone,soheopenedthelatter.‘Can’tyouopenthebigdoor?’saidthegiants;‘weshallhardlybeabletogetinatthisone.’‘Thebarsaretooheavyformetodraw,’saidNiels;‘ifyoustoopalittleyoucanquitewellcomeinhere.’Thefirstgiantaccordinglybentdownandenteredinastoopingposture,butbeforehehadtimetostraightenhisbackagainNielsmadeasweepwiththesword,andoftwentthegiant’shead.TopushthebodyasideasitfellwasquiteeasyforNiels,sostronghadthewinemadehim,andthesecondgiantasheenteredmetthesamereception.Thethirdwasslowerincoming,soNielscalledouttohim:‘Bequick,’hesaid,‘youaresurelytheoldestofthethree,sinceyouaresoslowinyourmovements,butIcan’twaitherelong;Imustgetbacktomyownpeopleassoonaspossible.’Sothethirdalsocamein,andwasservedinthesameway.Itappearsfromthestorythatgiantswerenotgivenfairplay!Bythistimedaywasbeginningtobreak,andNielsthoughtthathisfolksmightalreadybesearchingforhim,so,insteadofwaitingtoseewhattookplaceatthecastle,heranofftotheforestasfastashecould,takingtheswordwithhim.Hefoundtheothersstillasleep,sohewokethemup,andtheyagainsetoutontheirjourney.Ofthenight’sadventureshesaidnotaword,andwhentheyaskedwherehegotthesword,heonlypointedinthedirectionofthecastle,andsaid,‘Overthatway.’Theythoughthehadfoundit,andaskednomorequestions.WhenNielsleftthecastle,heshutthedoorbehindhim,anditclosedwithsuchabangthattheporterwokeup.Hecouldscarcelybelievehiseyeswhenhesawthethreeheadlessgiantslyinginaheapinthecourtyard,andcouldnotimaginewhathadtakenplace.Thewholecastlewassoonaroused,andtheneverybodywonderedattheaffair:itwassoonseenthatthebodieswerethoseoftheking’sgreatenemies,buthowtheycametobethereandinthatconditionwasaperfectmystery.Thenitwasnoticedthatthedrinking-hornwasemptyandtheswordgone,whiletheprincessreportedthathalfofherhandkerchiefandoneofherslippershadbeentakenaway.Howthegiantshadbeenkilledseemedalittleclearernow,butwhohaddoneitwasasgreatapuzzleasbefore.Theoldknightwhohadchargeofthecastlesaidthatinhisopinionitmusthavebeensomeyoungknight,whohadimmediatelysetofftothekingtoclaimthehandoftheprincess.Thissoundedlikely,butthemessengerwhowassenttotheCourtreturnedwiththenewsthatnoonethereknewanythingaboutthematter.‘Wemustfindhim,however,’saidtheprincess;‘forifheiswillingtomarrymeIcannotinhonourrefusehim,afterwhatmyfatherputonthehorn.’Shetookcouncilwithherfather’swisestmenastowhatoughttobedone,andamongotherthingstheyadvisedhertobuildahousebesidethehighway,andputoverthedoorthisinscription:—‘Whoeverwilltellthestoryofhislife,maystayherethreenightsfornothing.’Thiswasdone,andmanystrangetalesweretoldtotheprincess,butnoneofthetravellerssaidawordaboutthethreegiants.
