 Chapter 9 OF THE FLOWTING PRINCE AND OTHER FAIRY TAILS THE FLOWTING PRINCE AND OTHER FAIRY TAILS by Frank R. Stockton Dorido or The Giant's Quilt There was once a giant who had a patchwork quilt and this is the way he got it. One warm morning the giant whose name was Dorido was very tired and laid down under a tree to take a nap. The tree was a palm tree and, having a great tuft of leaves at the top of a tall stem, it could not be expected to give enough shade for a full-sized giant. But Dorido, when he laid down, put his head in the small spot of shade that the palm leaves afforded and as for the rest of his body he did not care. After a while the sun got higher and higher and the spot of shade moved nearer and nearer the base of the tree and poor Dorido's upturned face was soon exposed to the full blaze of the fiery sun. But being very tired he slept soundly and knew nothing about either sunshine or shade. Dorido was a good, kind, honourable giant, not very old but large for his age and had been noted from the time when he was a very little boy, no bigger than a horse, for being always ready to help other people. It was the exercise of this trait of his character that had made him so tired this warm morning. For about a week he had been absent from home on various errands of benevolence. Among other things he conferred a great benefit upon the people of a certain country by bringing to justice an old sorceress who, for many years, had been worrying and tormenting the whole population. When Dorido heard of this he resolved to have her punished and so he caught her napping one day and took her to a friend of his who was a magician and had her turned into a sewing-woman and compelled for the rest of her life to make shirts at the rate of two loaves of bread apiece and if there were frills to the bosoms a penny-roll extra. It must be admitted that this was very hard on the old witch but she was so extremely malicious and depraved that she deserved the worst she could get. When the giant had got through with this business he had gone to the assistance of the king of a small country who had but few soldiers and whose dominions were invaded by a powerful king with a large army. Dorido arrived just as a battle was about to commence and instantly saw that the little army had not a shadow of a chance. So he went straight to the king of the small country and asked to be made head-general of his forces. The king immediately consented and put his army under command of the giant. But, said the king, how will the enemy know you to be the head-general? I have no feathers or sashes or medals big enough for you. Never mind, said Dorido. When we get to work they will find out I'm general without any sashes and feathers. So at the head of his little army Dorido marched right close down in front of the enemy. When the commanders of the large army saw that Dorido was among their opponents they began to change their minds about having a battle and sent a flag of truce to him. Do you belong to this army? asked the man who bore the flag. Oh yes, said Dorido. I am head-general. The man then galloped back to his king and reported. Directly he returned with his flag. His majesty begs me to assure you that he has had a very pleasant journey through part of your king's dominions and is sorry he can't stay longer. But pressing affairs call him immediately home. Oh, he mustn't go until I see him. Said Dorido. Ask him to come over. So the king of the invaders thought he had better come and Dorido said to him, I am sorry to see you are in such a hurry to return. You surely cannot have got all you wanted of our king. Oh, yes, yes, said the other. We only wanted a little trip, just a little trip. You're entirely too modest, said the giant. Now I'm pretty sure I know what you came for. You heard that our people had a great quantity of corn in the public granaries that they could neither use nor sell. I believe that you came to buy that corn, but you don't like to say so. Now I come to think of it, I do want some corn, said the king. I'll take all you've got to spare. Just send it over to my camp and I'll have the money ready. Good day. And he turned to go. But just happening to think of something, he came back and said to Dorido, is this a permanent situation that you've got? Yes, said the giant. Whenever there's war, I am head general of this army. Good day, said the king. I don't know when I shall be able to get around this way again. Remember me to your king. And off he went. Every man of the invading army went home with a great bag of corn on his back. And when the inhabitants of the small kingdom saw a cartload of gold dumped down into the public vaults they were so delighted that they had a grand celebration. And all the children had holiday. All the toy and candy shops were declared free and the boys and girls went in and took just what they liked best and the king paid for it all. On his way home from this kingdom the giant had tired himself still more but to this time it was for his own gratification. Coming along by the seashore he found a great anchor. Thinking it might be of use some day he picked it up and hung it to his belt. Then it struck him that it would be a good idea to go a fishing and accordingly he stopped at a fishing village and bought about two miles of stelt rope. He then walked some distance further on to where the sea was very deep and where it was a great place for whales. Going out on the top of a high promontory and having tied his anchor to the end of the rope he stood and watched for a while to come up and blow. He soon saw one about a mile and a half off and whirling the anchor around his head he let it fly and it went clear out to the end of the rope and sunk into the sea with the line right over the whale's back. The giant pulled in ever so quick hoping to hook his fish when he jerked the anchor up against him. But the old whale slipped from under the rope and went swimming away with as much of a smile on his face as it is possible for a whale to have. Poor Dorido had to haul in his anchor which was troublesome to do for it continually caught on things at the bottom and when he got it in at last he determined that the next whale should not escape him so easily. He then broke off one of the flukes of the anchor and bent the other one out straight so that it and the shank were like one long piece of iron. When he had sharpened the arrow-headed end of the fluk he had a first-rate harpoon that is for a person of his size so he stood again and watched for a while and when one rose he sent his harpoon whizzing through the air and aimed it so truly that it went deep into the whale's fat side and hooked him tight. But the giant had a very hard time hauling him in. The whale was a good big one and he struggled and jerked and pulled back nearly hard enough to move a church. But Dorido was a match for him. He went to work like a good fellow and hauled in his rope hand over hand and there was nothing for the whale to do but to come to. When he got his fish into shallow water Dorido waded in and picking him up slung him over his shoulder and carried him high and dry on shore where he let him flop and roll until he got used to being out of the water. When the whale got thus far he died. It was afternoon by this time and so the giant took his whale on his back and having gathered up his fishing cord and harpoon he started for home. Dorido lived in his mother's castle and he thought that she would be very glad to see him bring home so much nice fish. But after he had walked about an hour or two he began to think that he would not take his whale home. If I do he said to himself I know just what will happen. There will be roast whale tomorrow and cold whale the next day and after that whale hash for a day or two more. No, I won't take it home. I'll give it to somebody who needs it more than we do. He had not gone far before he saw a man standing on a high rock with a stone in his hand looking about him in every direction. The giant stopped and asked him what he was trying to do. Why? said the man. Perhaps a bird may fly by after a while and if it does I shall throw this stone at it and if I hit it we shall have it for supper. We? said the giant. Who are we? Why? Myself and my wife and our five children. said the man. Who should we be but us? Well, do you pretend to say that one of those small birds which fly about here will be enough supper for seven people? asked the reed-o putting down the whale. No, it won't be anything like enough but we often have to put up with as little. The children eat all they can pick from a bird and then my wife and I suck the bones. Upon my word said the giant I shouldn't think any of you would get very fat on that sort of living. It is too bad that you should have such miserable fare and so I will give you this whale that I have just caught. You can have some of it right away for your suppers and if you cut the rest up and dry it it will last your whole family for a year or two. People don't eat whale? said the man. How do you know? asked the giant. Did you ever hear of anyone who had tasted it and didn't like it? Did you ever try it yourself? I should think a person as badly off as you would be glad to try whale meat before you say it's not eatable. I don't want to try it, said the man looking about to see if he could find a bird. People would laugh if they saw me cutting up a whale for food but I'll tell you what I will do. I'll take the skin for a carpet for our best room. We haven't got any carpet on it. Not if I know it, said the giant throwing his fish back on his shoulder. No whale for you today, my friend. And he marched off, provoked that he had stopped to talk to such a blockhead of a man. It soon became dark and as the sky was cloudy and there was no moon it was very dark indeed. The giant had great difficulty in keeping on his journey for he could not see a step before him. Directly he walked into a river and wet his legs badly and as he floundered across he felt very much inclined to throw the whale away for he had trouble enough in getting along without having to carry that heavy fish. But he did hate to waste anything and so he carried it on wondering to what use he could put it. Directly a thought struck him. The old thing is full of oil, said he to himself and I have a great mind to light it. No sooner said than done he had just run against a tall young tree so he drew his sword and cut it down and trimming off the top he ran the trunk into the whale's mouth and down into its body so as to make a handle. Then he cut off the tail and the oil came bubbling out. Taking from his pocket a flint and steel and some tinder he lighted some dry leaves made a blaze and set fire to the tail end of the whale. The oil blazed quite lively as the giant held it up by the trunk of the tree and soon it was burning so brightly that he could see just as well as he wanted to. Shouldering his great torch he marched off gaily. The whale burnt fiercer and fiercer the lower the flame got down and soon the whole country around the giant as he strode along was as bright as day. The cocks commenced to crow the birds to sing and the grasshoppers and beetles got up and began to look for their breakfasts. As to the owls and night-hawks they all went to bed and the giant walked on with the whale over his shoulder blazing away like a young volcano. When daylight appeared the whale was nearly all burned up and he threw it away very glad that he had been able to make such a good use of it. As the sun rose the clouds passed away and everything was bright and lovely. So when the giant reached the palm tree that we mentioned before he sat down and ate a few bushels of crackers he had in his pocket and then thought he would take a nap. This place was dry and the sun was warm so he put his head in the shade and went to sleep and the shade had moved and his face had been in the sunshine for about an hour when a princess came riding by. Her name was Philema and she was very unhappy. She was unhappy because she was going to be married in a day or two. She was not grieving because she did not love the young king, and to whom she was engaged but because the wedding was to come off before she was ready. The young king was a very fine fellow but he was nearly always at war. In a day or two he was to have a short peace and he wanted to get married before he had to go to war again. So Philema's father had settled it that the wedding was to come off the day that Gantelor's peace should commence. Philema was not ready for this great affair. There had been such short notice that only part of her dresses were made up and it distressed her greatly to think that she would not make a proper appearance in her husband's palace if she should be married so soon. So she was unhappy and had gone out that morning on her pony attended by her ladies and a few slaves to see if the fresh air would do her good. When she suddenly came upon the giant lying under the tree she was frightened but some of her people told her it was Dorido and that he would hurt nobody. So then she began to pity him lying there with his face all exposed to the sun. It's dreadful, said she. He will get all freckled. So she took out her handkerchief and all her ladies took out their handkerchiefs and they spread them over such parts of the giant's face as they could reach but they did not begin to cover it. Then they tried their sun umbrellas but they did not amount to very much either. If he had his head over there near the root of that tree said one of the ladies he would be all right. Well, let's wake him up said the princess and make him move. So they pushed at him and thumped at him. The princess, ladies, slaves and all but they did not disturb him in the least. One of the slaves proposed to stick him a little with their spears but the princess would not allow that. Well, said another of the ladies we can't move him and we can't move the tree so we had better go on and let him alone. I don't know about moving the tree said the princess. Here you slaves just take your swords and cut down that palm tree and be very careful it don't fall on the giant. So the slaves took their swords and cut down the tree and as they were very careful it did not fall on the giant. Then by the princess's orders they cut about half of the trunk off and the upper part with the broad spreading leaves above looked very much like an enormous umbrella. Now stick it up somewhere near him said the princess so that it will shade his head. They tried it in several places but nowhere would it shade his whole face. The lady suggested that they should stick the tree into his mouth which was stretched open quite wide enough for the purpose. This suggestion being approved of the slaves climbed up and put it into his mouth and it stood up nicely and shaded his whole face. Then the princess and her retinue rode off. After a little while the giant began to dream that he was cutting a new tooth. It made him uneasy and he soon awoke. When he saw the upper part of a palm tree sticking out of his mouth he was at first afraid that he had swallowed the roots and the rest of it but he soon found that it was not so. He took it out and sat up and then he saw at a distance the princess and her party returning. So he imagined that they had something to do with the matter and he laid down quickly and put the palm umbrella back in his mouth and made believe to be asleep. When the princess came up she said well if the poor giant isn't asleep yet I am glad he is more comfortable than he was and then she was going to ride away but the giant put out his hand and caught her up in it horse and all. She was very much frightened at this and screamed and all her people ran away but the giant sat up and looked so good-humoured and spoke so kindly that the princess soon became quieted and the people came back and stood near her. Dorido put the princess horse and all on his knee and she smoothed her hair down and fixed her ribbon straight and began to talk to her big acquaintance. She told him how she had had the palm tree stuck up in his mouth and they both laughed very much and the giant was much obliged. It must have been comical to hear them laughing for there was about as much difference in their voices as there is between a cherry stone and a prize pumpkin. Then Filema, who loved dearly to talk went on and told the giant why she was unhappy. That's too bad, said Dorido and he won't wait until your dresses are finished, eh? How many have you got done? Only about forty, said the princess and there never was anybody married out of our family with less than a hundred new dresses. And how long would it take to finish them all? Asked the giant. Oh, it would take three or four days more for I've got all the seamstresses in the kingdom and they work as hard as ever they can and they can't do any more unless they work at night and you know I won't allow that. Certainly not, said Dorido Poor things, it would kill them sooner or later. I will tell you what I will do for a kind young lady like you. You say that the young King Gantelor is only anxious to have the wedding so soon because his peace is to commence in a day or two? That's it, said Filema. If this last war of his had continued a little longer I should have been ready. Well now, said the giant. This is what I will do. I will go tomorrow and make war against him and I'll fight him until your dresses are done. Oh, you dear good giant! cried Filema. But you mustn't kill or wound him. I'll not hurt a hair of his head, said Dorido. But how shall I know when your dresses are done? Oh, I will send you some of the pieces that are left, replied the Princess, and then you may be sure that they are done. For as long as dresses are making the pieces are always wanted for covering cord and for little gauze and such things. Certainly, said the giant, and to shrivel up for trimmings. Shrivel up, said the Princess, laughing. You mean flute. Perhaps I do, said Dorido. But I must go now and you must not forget to send me the pieces when all is ready. So the Princess was put down and she galloped away home with the good news, and that day she treated all her seamstresses to wine and cake and a Lindsay Woolsey short gown apiece. Early the next morning the giant appeared before the palace of Gantelor, where his army was all drawn up, ready to be dismissed for a short furlough. The royal treasurer was there with his money bags to pay them off and the soldiers were just going to stack their spears in the courtyard. Hello! said the giant. What's up now? Oh, you see, said the young king, we are about to have a short piece and my men are going home for a while. That's bad, said Dorido, for I came here to make war on you. Is that so? said Gantelor, and then, turning to his army, he shouted, put away those money bags. Tension battalions! Shoulder spears! By the right flank, will! Forward march! And, springing on his horse, he put himself at the head of his army. It seems to me that you are in an awful hurry, said Dorido. This is no place to fight, but I know of a splendid battleground and I will show you where it is. So the giant led the way and Gantelor and his whole army went after him to the good place for a battle that he had spoken of. After marching a long time, Gantelor called out, Hello there Dorido! I should think that by this time we had gone far enough. Oh no! replied the giant. We haven't got there yet. Don't be impatient. It's an excellent place that I'm taking you to and it's a great deal better to do things right while you are about it. Oh yes! said the king, who was very fair in all his dealings. Certainly I want to have things all right while we are about them. So they marched on until they came to a beautiful level plain and the giant said that was the place and Gantelor agreed that it was a very good place indeed for a battle. Then the giant chose his position and the king chose his and then it was night and the giant said they would begin to go to work early in the morning. The king was all ready to fight right away but the giant did not approve of night battles and so they all encamped until morning. Early the next day the young king arose and the first thing he saw was the giant hard at work carrying great rocks and piling them up in a line on the place he had chosen. Hello! cried Gantelor. What are you doing there? Making a fort, said the giant. Oh bother! cried the king. We don't want a fort. It will take ever so long to build one. It's all very well for you folks to talk that way, said Dorido. There are thousands of you and only one of me. What do you suppose I should do if you were to get around in my rear? That's so, said the king. I suppose you must have a fort but hurry up with it. The giant went to work and spent the whole morning piling rocks and Gantelor, supposing that his intended father-in-law might think it strange that he was not on hand on the wedding day, wrote and sent him a letter explaining why the ceremony would have to be postponed for a little while. After dinner the young king went out to see how the giant was coming on and he found that he was not half done. Hello! cried he. How long are you going to keep me waiting here? I thought you'd be done by this time. It's very easy to talk, said the giant. But if you really felt in such a hurry as you say you do you would send some of those lazy soldiers of yours to help me. That's so, said Gantelor. Here, you lazy soldiers, every one of you take a spade and help this giant build his fort. We'll never have a battle if we go on this way. Then all the soldiers took spades and they went to work to help the giant and by night the fort was done. It was a fine, large high fort and the spaces between the rocks were all nicely filled in with earth and smoothed over. By the time it was done night came on and they all encamped and slept well till morning. Early the next day the young king got up and saw the giant walking around the outside of his fort. Why don't you get in and let us begin? cried Gantelor. That's a good fort you've got now. Yes, said Dorido. When it gets a deep ditch around it it will be as good a fort as I ever saw. Ditch! cried the enraged young king. I don't know what it is you will want next. I'm not going to wait here until you make a ditch. Why, of course I must have a ditch! cried the giant, loud enough to be heard a mile or two. Didn't you say we were going to have this thing all right while we were about it? Just answer me that if you please and I'd like to know what's to hinder your soldiers from walking right up to my fort in the night while I'm asleep and climbing over if I haven't a ditch. Well, said Gantelor. I suppose you ought to have a ditch. Here you lazy soldiers take every one of you a spade and dig the giant a ditch around his fort and don't be any longer about it than you can help. So they all went to work and dug the ditch and that took until afternoon and then a canal had to be made long to bring water from the river to fill the ditch and then it was night and they all slept well until morning. Very early indeed the giant got up and smoothed over a large patch of soft earth right in the middle of his fort and taking a great sharp pointed stick he wrote on the ground in huge letters gone for provisions back soon. Then he stepped over the wall of his fort ditch and all and ran home as fast as he could go. When he reached his mother's castle it was breakfast time and he told her his adventures and she laughed heartily over them and they had such a pleasant time at the table that they each drank two tubs of coffee whereas they generally took one. During the morning the giant's mother fixed him up a great basket of provisions containing seventeen barrels of flour four of bran flour nine hundred hams forty bushels of crackers one hundred pounds of cheese a thousand boxes of sardines one hundred dozen lemons a hundred pounds of sugar a thousand pounds of dried beef ten furkins of butter a thousand bottles of pickles and ever so many other things that she thought he might want if the siege held out for a few days. These things were tolerably heavy, of course and Dorido did not make very good time going back. It was sunset before he saw his fort in the distance. In the morning of that day not long after the giant had left the king had got up early and arranged his troops for the battle. As the giant was not to be seen they thought, of course that he was sheltering himself behind his fortifications. So Gantelor, who was a splendid soldier drew his men up in line and put them into position and marched them here and marched them there and took possession of certain positions to the right and took possession of other positions to the left and held some of his men in reserve and put others in the advance and fixed up tents for hospitals and got his portable bridges to the front and by dinner time everything was ready for the grand attack even to the slight entrenchments necessary to protect certain portions of the army from the giant's missiles. After a hurried dinner the grand charge was sounded and the soldiers rushed forward bridged the ditch and crossed the bridges and stormed the walls and waved their flags and shouted, Victory! and jumped down into the inside and found, written there gone for provisions back soon. You would better believe that when King Gantelor saw this he was angry and half hour or so he was so angry that he did not know what to do with himself but then he cooled down and remembering that Dorido would certainly keep his word and come back he drew off his men and resolved to attack the giant as soon as he returned and nothing was to be allowed to prevent. When Dorido got tolerably near the fort he saw that it had been attacked and supposing that Gantelor would be mad enough when he found it empty he thought he had better rest a little and so he did and did not reach his fort until after dark when the king and all his forces had gone to bed. Before daylight the next morning Gantelor had his men all in position and when the giant awoke and stood up Gantelor sheltered to him Look out there! We're going to begin No more fooling now Bridges to the front Stormers forward march Spearmen ready Aim fire and instantly the men with the portable bridges ran down to the ditch and the storming parties followed them and the spearmen sent their weapons flying through the air Then the men with bows aimed their arrows at the giant and those with catapults sent rocks whizzing round his head and he felt like a boy in a hornet's nest He had hardly expected they would commence so soon and he did not know what to do As for really fighting them he had determined not to do that or he could have drawn his great sword and chopped the whole army up fine in about three quarters of an hour The stones and arrows and spears came thicker and thicker Numbers of soldiers had crossed the ditch and were already on top of the walls and they could take such good aim from their new positions that several missiles had already struck Dorido in the face A spear hit him on the side of the nose There! he cried If that nasty thing had gone in my eye it would have made me mad He had provided himself with no ammunition whatever and now that the fighting was getting to be at such close quarters he looked for something with which to defend himself He was so big that it was of no use to try and get behind anything As he looked around he saw his pickle jars and, breaking a number of them he commenced hurling handfuls of pickles at his assailants When a pickle hit a man in the face the man howled, I can tell you and, for a while Dorido kept the enemy back with these sour missiles But a thousand jars of pickles will not last a giant long when he uses them in that way and the supply was soon exhausted and now the soldiers were coming in on all sides Gantelor was on the walls shouting to his men and waving his sword above his head and Dorido was hit by something or other every moment and as the men were nearer the hits were harder There was nothing for him to throw but great hard things which might kill people and so, making a very rye face Dorido ran to the rear wall made a skip right over it and the ditch and evacuated the fort What a shout the soldiers then set up Gantelor waved his hat and his sword and if he had had more hands he would have waved his coat and his boots and he shouted Victory! Victory! and all the soldiers shouted Victory! till they were hoarse The excitement was so great that every man in the army rushed Palmel into the fort even the reserve corps and those left in charge of the hospital tents As for the giant he sat down on the ground outside and picked the arrows out of his clothes When the enthusiasm had somewhat subsided Gantelor ordered the 17 barrels of flour to be piled up, end on end until they made a high column and then he got on the top of them and summoned the giant to deliver himself up Not today if you please said Dorido I've only changed my base Now then he cried Just let me see any of you fellows come out of that fort You're all my prisoners Every man of you and he jumped up and drew his sword commenced rushing around the outside of the ditch chopping his sword into the ground and whirling it over his head in such a terrible way that Gantelor got down off the flour barrels in a hurry and the soldiers crouched down behind the walls as close as they could get Not one of them would have dared to climb over the walls while that terrible giant was lashing his great sword about in that way When Dorido got tired of this exercise he sat down near the fort and began throwing great stones across it just grazing the tops of the walls As all the stones went clear over they hurt nobody but if anyone had been on top of the walls it would have been bad for that person The giant was a good shot with a stone or young rock and every now and then he made one just scratch the top of the earthworks causing the dirt and gravel to fly like hailstones Gantelor and his army began to think that they had got themselves into a bad fix It was impossible to get over those walls there was no entrance way while the giant was hurling stone after stone in that style and all their stores and provisions and spare arms were outside in the camp The giant amused himself in this way for quite a long time but at last while turning round and reaching back for a big stone he saw a man on horseback riding toward him as fast as he could come As soon as the man reached him he handed Dorido a big bag filled with the pieces that were left of the princess's dresses The moment the giant saw the pieces in the bag he sprang to his feet joked out of his pocket a great white handkerchief as big as the mainsail of a ship and sticking his sword into it he waved it round his head shouting at the top of his voice I surrender! I surrender! Gantelor and his men stood up in amazement at the strange sight of the giant's surrendering just when he had the best of them but they were still more amazed when Dorido stepped over the wall right into their midst and sheltered to the king while still frantically waving his white flag over his head Go home, Gantelor, and marry your princess Give her my love and tell her to teach you the value of a peaceful life If there are any battles to be fought let me know and I'll do your fighting for you As for you soldiers you can have my provisions I shan't need them I'm going home the war's over With these words he jumped over the walls and strode off home as fast as he could go his white flag still fluttering over his shoulder Gantelor looked after him for a few minutes and then he said if there is a lunatic asylum in the country big enough that giant ought to be put in it then he gave orders to pack up and march home As he was watching the men break up their camp he said a war with the giant has one good thing about it look at these hospital tents they haven't been needed at all When the young king reached his palace he left his men there and with a few followers he went straight on to Fulima's father's kingdom When he came near the royal residence there on the balcony he saw the princess dressed in a lovely gown of pink chanel and behind her in a row all her seamstresses in their nice new Lindsay Woolsey short gowns eating carved foot jelly with golden spoons to refresh themselves after their hard labours The next day the young king Gantelor and the princess Fulima were married and she led him such a happy life that he never cared to go to war again and strange to say that when he did not want to fight anybody nobody seemed to want to fight him The officers of his army came to the wedding and each of them the next day married one of the princesses seamstresses and each couple had a house and garden given them and they lived happily and got very fat The common soldiers married anybody that would have them just like other people and they each had a house and garden given them and lived as happily and got just as fat as the officers As for the giant he took the pieces of the princess's dresses home to his mother who made him a patchwork quilt out of them and he slept under it for a long time But I think it must be entirely worn out now The Floating Prince and Other Fairy Tales by Frank R. Stockton The Castle of Bim Loris was a little girl about eleven years old who lived with her father in a very small house among the mountains of a distant land He was sometimes a woodcutter and sometimes a miner or a plowman or a stonebreaker Being an industrious man he would work at anything he could do when a chance offered But as there was not much work to do in that part of the country poor Jorn often found it very hard to make a living for himself and Loris One day when he had gone out early to look for work Loris was in her little sleeping room under the roof braiding her hair Although she was so poor Loris always tried to make herself look as neat as she could For that pleased her father she was trying the ribbon on the end of a long braid when she heard a knock at the door below In one second she said to herself I will go I must tie this ribbon tightly for it would never do to lose it And so she tied it and ran downstairs to the door There was no one there Oh, it's too bad cried Loris Perhaps it was someone with a job for father He told me always to be very careful about answering a knock at the door for there was no knowing when someone might come with a good job and now someone has come and gone cried Loris Looking about in every direction for the person who had knocked Oh, there he is How could he have gone away so far in such a short time I must run after him So away she ran as fast as she could after a man she saw walking away from the cottage in the direction of a forest Oh dear she said as she ran how fast he walks and he is such a short man too he is going right to the hut of lob that wicked lob who is always trying to get away work from father and he came first to our house but thought there was nobody at home Loris ran and ran but the short man did walk very fast however she gradually gained on him and as he reached lob's door she seized him by the coat Stop sir please she said scarcely able to speak she was so out of breath the man turned and looked at her he was a very short man indeed for he scarcely reached to Loris's waist What do you want he said looking up at her Oh sir she gasped you came to our house first and I came to the door almost as quick as I could and if it's any work father wants work ever so bad Yes said the short man but lob wants work too he is very poor Yes sir said Loris but you came for father first True said the short man but nobody answered my knock and now I am here lob has four young children and sometimes they have nothing to eat it is never so bad with you is it No sir said Loris your father has work sometimes is it not so Yes sir answered Loris lob is often without work for weeks and he has four children shall I go back with you or knock here said Loris softly the short man knocked at the door and instantly there was heard a great scuffling and hubbub within shortly all was quiet and then a voice said come in he did not wait so long for me thought Loris the short man opened the door and went in Loris following him in a bed in the corner of the room were four children their heads just appearing above a torn sheet which was pulled up to their chins hello what's the matter said the short man advancing to the bed please sir said the oldest child a girl of about the age of Loris with tangled hair and sharp black eyes we are all sick and very poor and our father has no work if you can give us no money to buy bread all sick a said the short man any particular disease we don't know about diseases sir said the girl we've never been to school no doubt of that said the man I have no money to give you but you can tell your father that if he will come to the mouth of the ragged mind tomorrow morning he can have a job of work which will pay him well so saying he went out Loris followed him but he simply waved his hand to her and in a few minutes was lost in the forest Loris looked sadly after him and then walked slowly towards her home the moment their visitors had gone the lob children sprang out of bed as lively as crickets ha ha cried the oldest girl she came after him to get it and he wouldn't give it to her and fathers got it served her right that horrid thing and all the children shouted horrid thing one of the boys now ran out and threw a stone after Loris and then they sat down to finish eating a meat pie which had been given to them well said Jorn that evening when Loris told him what had happened I'm sorry for I found but little work today but it can't be helped you did all you could no father said Loris I might have gone to the door quicker that may be said Jorn and I hope you will never keep anyone waiting again two or three days after this Loris was stooping preparing her dinner she heard a knock springing to her feet she dropped the pan she held in her hand and made a dash at the front door pulling it open with a tremendous fling no one should go away this time hello ho ho cried a person outside giving a skip backwards do you open doors by lightning here no sir but I didn't want to keep you waiting I should think not said the other why I had hardly begun to knock this visitor was a middle sized man very slight and at first sight of a useful appearance but his hair was either powdered or gray and it was difficult to know whether he was old or young his face was long and smooth he nearly always looked as if he was just going to burst out laughing he was dressed in a silken suit of light green pink pale yellow and sky blue but all the colors were very much faded on his head was stuck a tall orange colored hat with a lemon colored feather is your father in said the strange personage sir said loris he will be here this evening and I can give him any message you may leave for him I haven't any message said the other I want to see him you can see him about sunset said loris if you will come then I don't want to come again I think I'll wait said the man loris said very well he heard what he would do all the afternoon she brought out a stool for him to sit upon for it was not very pleasant in the house and there he sat for some time looking at the chicken house where there were no chickens and the cow house where there was no cow and the pigsty where there were no pigs then he skipped up to the top of a little hillock nearby, and surveyed the landscape, Laura's kept her eye upon him to see that he did not go away without leaving a message, and went on with her cooking. When her dinner was ready she thought it only right to ask him to have some. She did not want to do it, but she could not see how she could help it. She had been taught good manners, so she went to the door and called him, and he instantly came skipping to her. I thought you might like to have some dinner, sir, she said. I haven't much, but— Two people don't want much, he said. Where shall we have it, in the house, or will you spread the cloth out here on the grass? There's not much use of spreading a cloth, sir, she said. I have only one potato, and some salt. That's not a dinner, said the other cheerfully. A dinner is soup, meat, some vegetables, besides potatoes, and there ought to be two of them, at least, some bread, some cheese, pudding, and fruit. When I haven't got all that, sir, said Laura's, with her eyes wide open at this astonishing description of a dinner. Well, then, if you haven't got them, the next best thing is to go and get them. Laura smiled faintly. I couldn't do that, sir, she said. I have no money. Well, then, if you can't go, the next best thing is for me to go. The village is not far away. Just wait dinner a little while for me. And so, saying, he skipped away at a great pace. Laura's did not wait for him, but ate her potato and salt. I'm glad he is able to buy his own dinner, she said, but I'm afraid he won't come back. I wish he had left a message. But she need not have feared. In a half hour the queer man came back, bearing a great basket covered with the cloth, the latter he spread on the ground, and then set out all the things he had said were necessary to make up a dinner. He prepared a place at one end of the cloth for Laura's, and one at the other end for himself. Sit down, said he, seating himself on the grass. Don't let things get cold. I've had my dinner, said Laura's. This is yours. Whenever you're ready to begin, said the man, lying back on the grass and looking placidly up to the sky. I'll begin. But not until then. Laura's saw he was in earnest, and as she was a sensible girl she sat down at the end of the cloth. That's right, gaily cried the queer man, sitting up again. I was a little afraid you'd be obstinate, and then I should have starved. When the meal was over, Laura said, I never had such a good dinner in my life. The man looked at her and laughed. This is a funny world, isn't it? said he. Awfully funny, replied Laura's, laughing. You don't know what I am, do you? said the man to Laura's, as she gathered up the dishes and put them with what was left of the meal into the basket. No, sir, I do not, answered Laura's. I'm a nincom, said the other. Did you ever meet with one before? No, sir, never, said Laura's. I'm very glad to hear that, he said. It's so pleasant to be fresh and novel. And then he went walking round the house, again, looking at everything he had seen before. Soon he laid himself down on the grass near the house, with one leg thrown over the other and his hands clasped under his head. For a long time he lay in this way, looking up at the sky and the clouds. Then he turned his head and said to Laura's, who was sowing by the doorstep. Did you ever think how queer it would be if everything in the world were reversed, if the ground were soft and blue, like the sky, and if the sky were covered with dirt and chips and grass, and if fowls and animals walked upon it, like flies sticking to a ceiling? I never thought of such a thing in my life, said Laura's. I often do, said the nincom. It expands the mind. For the whole afternoon the nincom laid on his back and expanded his mind, and then, about sunset, Laura saw her father returning. She ran to meet him, and told him of the nincom who was waiting to see him. Jorn hurried to the house, for he felt sure that his visitor must have an important job of work for him, as he had waited so long. I am glad you have come, said the nincom. I wanted to see you very much, for two things. The first was that we might have supper. I am dreadfully hungry, and I know there's enough in that basket for us all. The second thing can wait. It's business. So Laura's and the nincom spread out the remains of the dinner, and the three made a hearty supper. Jorn was highly pleased. He had expected to come home to a very different meal from this. Now then, said the nincom, we'll talk about the business. You have some work for me, I suppose, said Jorn. No, said the nincom. None that I know of. What I want is for you to go into partnership with me. Partnership, cried Jorn, I don't understand you. What kind of work could we do together? None at all, said the nincom, for I never work. Your part of the partnership will be to chop wood and mine, and plow, and do just what you do now. I will live here with you, and will provide the food and the clothes and the fuel and the pocket money for the three of us. But you couldn't live here, cried Laura's. Our house is so poor, and there is no room for you. There need not be trouble about that, said the nincom. I can build a room right here on this side of the house. I never work, he said to Jorn, but I hate idleness. So what I want is to go into partnership with a person who will work. An industrious person like you, then my conscience will be at ease. Please agree as quickly as you can, for it's beginning to grow dark, and I hate to walk in the dark. Jorn did not hesitate. He agreed instantly to go into partnership with the nincom, and the latter, after bidding them good night, skipped gaily away. The next day he returned with carpenters, laborers, and lumber, and timber, and furniture, and bedding, and a large and handsome room was built for him on one side of the house. And he came to live with Jorn and Laura's. For several days, he had workmen putting a fence around the yarn, and building a new cowhouse, a new chicken house, and a new pigsty. He bought a cow, pigs, and chickens, had flowers planted in front of the house, and made everything look very neat and pretty. Now, said he one day to Laura's and Jorn, as they were eating supper together. I'll tell you something. I was told to keep it a secret. But I hate secrets. I think they all ought to be told as soon as possible. Ever so much trouble has been made by secrets. The one I have is this. That Dwarf who comes here and then went and hired old lob to work in his mine. Was that a Dwarf, as Laura's much excited? Yes, indeed, said the nincom, a regular one. Didn't you notice how short he was? Well, he told me all about his coming here. The Dwarfs in the ragged mine found a deep hole with lots of gold at the bottom of it. But it steamed and smoked and was too hot for Dwarfs. So the King Dwarfs sent out the one you saw and told him to hire the first miner he could find to work in the deep hole, but not to tell him how hot it was until he had made his contract. So the Dwarf had come, first, for you, Jorn, for you lived nearest the mine. But he hoped he would not find you, for he knew you were a good man. That was the reason he just gave one knock, and hurried on to Lobb's house. And then he told me how Laura's ran after him and how good she was to agree to let him give the work to Lobb, when she thought he needed it more than her father. Now, says he to me, I want to do something for that family, and I don't know anything better than could happen to a man like Jorn than to go into partnership with a nincom. At these words Jorn looked over the well-spread supper table, and he thought the Dwarf was certainly right. So that's the way I came to live here, said the nincom, and I like it first right. I wish I could go and see the Dwarfs working in their mines, said Laura's. I'll take you, exclaimed the nincom, it's not a long walk from here, we can go to-morrow. Jorn gave his consent, and the next morning Laura's and the nincom set out for the ragged mine. The entrance was a great jagged hole in the side of a mountain, and the inside of the mine had also a very rough and torn appearance. It belonged to a colony of Dwarfs, and an ordinary mortal seldom visited it. But the nincom had no difficulty in obtaining admission. Making their way slowly along the rough and somber tunnel, Laura's and he saw numbers of Dwarfs working with pick and shovel in search of precious minerals. Soon they met the Dwarf who had come to Jorn's house, and he seemed glad to see Laura's again. He led her about to various parts of the mine, and showed her the heaps of gold and silver, and precious stones which had been dug out of the rocks around them. The nincom had seen these things before, and so he thought he would go and look for the hot hole where Lobb was working that would be a novelty. He soon found the hole, and just as he reached it, Lobb appeared at its opening, slowly climbing up a ladder. He looked very warm and tired, and throwing some gold ore upon the ground. From a basket which he carried on his back, he sat down and wiped the perspiration from his forehead. That is warm work, Lobb, said the nincom pleasantly. Warm, said Lobb, gruffly, hot, hot as fire. Why the gold down at the bottom of that hole burns your fingers when you pick it up. If I hadn't made a contract with these rascally dwarves to work here for 41 days, I wouldn't stay here another minute. But you can't break a contract you make with dwarves. It's a pretty hard thing to have to work here. That is true, said the nincom. But you owe your ill fortune to yourself. It's all because you're known to be so ill-natured and wicked. When the dwarf was sent to hire a man to come and work in this hole, he had to go to Jorn's house first, because that was the nearest place. But he just gave one knock there and hurried away, hoping he did not hear it. For it would be a pity to have a good man like Jorn working in a place like this. Then he went after you, for he knew you deserved to be punished by this kind of work. As the nincom said this, Lobb's face grew black with rage. So that's the truth, he cried. When I get out of this place, I'll crush every bone in the body of that sneaking Jorn. And so saying, he rushed down into the hot hole. Perhaps I ought not to have told him all that, says the nincom, as he walked away. But I hate secrets, they always make mischief. When he joined Loris, the little girl said, Let us go out of this place now. I have seen nearly everything, and it is so dark and gloomy. Taking leave of the kind dwarf, the two made their way out of the mind. I do not like such gloomy places any better than you do, said the nincom. Disagreeable things are always happening in them. I like to have things bright and lively. I'll tell you what would be splendid to make a visit to the castle of BIM. What is that? And where is it? asked Loris. It's the most delightful place in the whole world, said the nincom. While you're there, you do nothing and see nothing but what is positively charming, and everybody is just as happy and gay as can be. It's all life and laughter and perfect delight. I know you would be overjoyed if you were there. I should like very much to go, said Loris, if father would let me. I'll go and ask him this minute, said the nincom. I know where he is working. You can run home, and I will go to him, and they come and tell you what he says. So Loris ran home, and the nincom went to the place where Jorn was cutting wood. Jorn, said the nincom, suppose that everything in the world were reversed, that you chopped wood standing on your head, and that you split your axe instead of the log you struck. Would not that be peculiar? Such things could not be, said Jorn. What is the good of talking about them? I think a great deal about such matters, said the nincom. They expand my mind, and now Jorn, reversibly speaking, will you let Loris go with me to the castle of Bim? Where is that? asked Jorn. It is not far from here. I think we could go in half a day. I would get a horse in the village. And how long would you stay? Well, I don't know. A week or two perhaps. Come now, Jorn, reversibly speaking, may she go? No, indeed, said Jorn. On no account shall she go. I could not spare her. All right, said the nincom, I will not keep you from your work any longer. Good morning. As soon as he was out of Jorn's sight, the nincom began to run home as fast as he could. Get ready, Loris, he cried, when he reached the house, your father says, reversibly speaking, that on every account you must go. He can well spare you. But we must go now, said Loris. Cannot we wait until he comes home and go tomorrow? No, indeed, said the nincom, there will be obstacles to our starting tomorrow. So let us hasten to the village and hire a horse. Your father will get along nicely here by himself, and he will be greatly pleased with your improvement when you return from the castle of Bim. So Loris, who was really much pleased with the idea of the journey, hasten to get ready. And having put the house key under the front doorstone, she and the nincom went to the village, where they got a horse and started for the castle of Bim. The nincom rode in front, Loris sat on a pillow behind, and the horse trotted along gaily. The nincom was in high good spirits. And passed the time in telling Loris all the delightful things she would see in the castle of Bim. Late in the afternoon they came in sight of a vast castle, which rose up at the side of the road like a little mountain. Hurrah! cried the nincom, as he spurred the horse. I knew we were nearly there. Loris was very glad that they had reached the castle, for she was getting tired of riding. And when the nincom drew up in front of the great portals, she felt sure that she was going to see wonderful things, for the door, to begin with, was, she felt sure, the biggest door in the whole world. You need not get off, said the porter, who stood by the door, to the nincom, who was preparing to dismount. You can ride right in. Accordingly, the nincom and Loris rode right in to the castle, through the front door. Inside they found themselves in a high and wide hallway paved with stone, which led back to what appeared to be an inner court. Riding to the end of this hall, they stopped in the doorway there, and looked out. In the center of the court, which was very large, there stood side by side, and about twenty feet apart, two great upright posts, like the trunks of tall pine trees. Across these, near their tops rested a thick and heavy horizontal pole, and on this pole a giant was practicing gymnastics. Hanging by his hands he would draw himself up, until his chin touched the pole, and again and again he did this, until the nincom, set in a whisper, twelve times. I did not think he could do it. The giant now drew up his legs, and threw them over the bar, up of his head. Then, by a vigorous effort, he turned himself entirely over the bar, and hung beneath it by his hands, after stopping a minute or two to breathe. He drew up his legs again, and putting them under the bar, between his hands, as boys do. When they skin the cat, he turned partly over, and hung in this position. His face was now turned toward the doorway, and he first noticed his visitors. Hello, he said to the nincom. Could you do that? Not on that pole, answered the nincom, smiling. I should think not, said the giant, dropping to his feet, and puffing a little. Ten years ago, when I did not weigh so much, I could draw myself up twenty-seven times. Come in with me, and have some supper. Is that your little daughter? No, said the nincom. I am her guardian for the present. Right, right upstairs, said the giant, my wife is up there, and she will take care of the little girl. I am afraid, said the nincom, that my horse cannot jump up those great steps. Of course not, said the giant. Let me help you up, and then I will go down and bring your horses. Oh, that won't be necessary, said the nincom, and Lordus laughed at the idea. You may want to look at the house, said the giant, and then you will need them. So the giant took the nincom and Lordus upstairs, and then came down and brought up the horses. The upper story was as vast and spacious as the lower part of the castle, and by a window the giant's wife sat, darning a stalking. As they approached her, the nincom whispered to Lordus, if there were such holes in my stalkings I should fall through. The giantess was very glad to see Lordus, and she took up her in her hand and kissed her very much as a little girl would kiss a canary bird. Then the giant children were sent for. Two big boys and a baby girl who thought Lordus was so lovely that she would have squeezed her to death if her mother had allowed her to take the little visitor in her hands. During supper, Lordus and nincom sat in chairs with long legs, like stilts, which the giant had made for his men and women visitors. They had to be very careful lest they should tip over and break their necks. After supper they sat in the great upper hall, and the giant got out his guitar and sang them a song. I hope there are not many more verses, whispered the nincom to Lordus. My bones are almost shaken apart. How did you like that? asked the giant, when he had finished. It was very nice, said the nincom. It reminded me of something I once heard before. I think it was a wagon load of copper pots, rolling down a mountain, but I am not sure. The giant thanked him, and soon after they all went to bed. Lordus slept in the room with the giantess, on a high shelf where the children could not reach her. Just before they went to their rooms, the nincom said to Lordus, Do you know that I don't believe this is the castle of Bim? It didn't seem to be like the place you told me about, said Lordus, but what are we to do? Nothing but to go to bed, said the nincom. They are very glad to see us, and to-morrow we will bid them goodbye and push on to the castle of Bim. With this the nincom jumped on his horse and rode to his room. The next day after they had gone over the castle and seen all its sights, the nincom told the giant that he and Lordus must pursue their journey to the castle of Bim. What is that? said the giant, and when the nincom proceeded to describe it to him, he became very much interested. Ho, ho, good wife! he cried. Suppose we go with these friends to the castle of Bim. It must be a very pleasant place, and the exercise will do me good. I'm dreadfully tired of gymnastics. What do you say? We can take the children. The giantest thought it would be a capital idea, and so they all put on their hats and caps and started off leaving the castle in charge of the giant servants who are people of common size. They journeyed all that day, Loris and the nincom riding ahead, followed by the giant, then by the giantest carrying the baby, and lastly by the two giant boys with a basket of provisions between them. That night they slept on the ground under some trees, and the nincom admitted that the castle of Bim was a good deal further off than he had supposed it to be. Toward afternoon of the next day they found themselves on some high land, and coming to the edge of a bluff they saw in the plain below a beautiful city. The giant was struck with admiration. I have seen many a city, said he, but I have never saw one so sensibly and handsomely laid out as that. The people who built that place knew just what they wanted. Do you see the great building in the center of the city, cried the nincom? Well, that is the castle of Bim. Let us hurry down, so away they all started, at their best speed for the city. They had scarcely reached one of the outer gates when they were met by a citizen on horseback, followed by two or three others on foot. The horseman greeted them kindly and said that he had been sent to meet them. We shall be very glad, he said, to the nincom, to have you and the little girl come into our city tonight. But if those giants were to enter, the people, especially the children, would throng the streets to see them, and many would unavoidably be trampled to death. There is a great show tent out here, where they can very comfortably pass the night, and tomorrow we will have the streets cleared and the people kept within doors. Then these great visitors will be made welcome to walk in and view the city. The giants agreed to this, and they were conducted to the tent, where they were made very comfortable, while the nincom and laurus were taken into the city, and lodged in the house of the citizen who had come to meet them. The next day the giants entered the city, and the windows and doors in the streets, which they passed through, were crowded with spectators. The giant liked the city better and better, as he walked through it. Everything was so admirably pleasing, and in such perfect order. The others enjoyed themselves very much, too, and laurus was old enough to understand the beauty and conveniences of the things she saw around her. Towards the end of the day the nincom came to her. Do you know, said he, that the castle of Bim is not here, that large building is used by the governors of the city, and what a queer place it is. Everything that they do turns out just right. I saw a man set a rat trap, and what do you think? He caught the rat. I could not help laughing. It is very funny. But what are you going to do? asked laurus. We will stay here tonight, said the nincom. They are very kind, and tomorrow we will go on to the castle of Bim. The next day therefore our party again set out on their journey. The nincom had told the citizen who had entertained him where they were going, and his accounts of the wonderful castle induced this worthy man to go with them. In our city, said he, we tried to be governed in everything by the ordinary rules of common sense. In this way we get along very comfortably and pleasantly, and everything seems to go well with us. But we are always willing to examine into the merits of things which are new to us, and so I would like to go to this curious castle, and come back and report what I have seen to my fellow citizens. His company was gladly accepted, and all set out in high good humor. The citizen riding by the side of laurus and the nincom. But when they had gone several miles the giantess declared that she believed she would go back home. The baby was getting very heavy, and the boys were tired. The giant could tell her about the castle of Bim when he came home. So the giantess turned back with her children, her husband kissing her goodbye, and assuring her that he would not let her go back by herself if he did not feel certain that no one would molest her on the way. The rest of the party now went on at a good pace, the giant striding along as fast as the horses could trot. The nincom did not seem to know the way as well as he had said he did. He continually desired to turn to the right, and when the others inquired if he was sure that he ought to do this, he said that the best thing a person could do when a little in doubt was to turn to the right. The citizen did not like this method of reasoning, and he was about to make an objection to it when a man was perceived sitting in doleful plight by the side of the road. The nincom, who was very kind-hearted, rode up to him to inquire what had happened to him, but the moment the man raised his head and before he had time to say a word, Laura slipped off her horse and threw her arms around his neck. Oh, father, father, she cried, how came you here? It was indeed, Jorn, ragged, wounded, and exhausted. In a moment everyone set to work to relieve him, Laura's ran for water and bathed his face and hands. The citizen gave him some wine from a flask. The giant produced some great pieces of bread and meat, and the nincom asked him questions. Jorn soon felt refreshed and strengthened, and then he told his story. He had been greatly troubled when he found that Loris had gone away against his express orders. Why, father, cried Loris at this point, you said I could go. Never, said Jorn, I said you could not go. Reversibly speaking, said the nincom smiling, he consented, that was the way I put the question to him. If I had not put it in that way I should have told a lie. Everybody looked severely at the nincom, and Loris was very angry, but her father patted her on the head, and went on with his story. He would have followed the nincom and his daughter, but he did not know what road they had taken, and as they were on a horse he could not in any case expect to catch up with them. So he waited, hoping they would soon return, but before long he was very glad that Loris was away. The wicked lob, who, in some manner, had found out that he had been made to work in the Dwar's mine instead of Jorn, who had been considered too good for such disagreeable labour, had become so enraged that he broke his contract with the Dwar's, and instead of continuing his work in the mine, had collected a few of his depraved companions, and had made an attack upon Jorn's house. The Dwar's had been forced, poor Jorn had been dragged forth, beaten, and forced to fly, while lob and his companions took possession of the house and everything in it. But how could you wander so far, dear father? asked Loris. It is not far, said Jorn, or home is not many miles away. Then you have been going in a circle, said the citizen to the nincom, and you are now very near the point you started from. That seems to be the case, said the nincom smiling. But we won't talk about it now, said the citizen. We must see what we can do for this poor man. He must have his house again. I would have asked the Dwar's to help me, said Jorn, but I believe they would have killed lob and the others if they had resisted, and I didn't want any blood shed. No, said the citizen. I think we can manage it better than that. Our large friend here will be able to get these people out of your house without killing them. Oh yes, said the giant. I'll attend to that. Jorn being now quite ready to travel, the party proceeded, and soon reached his house. When lob perceived the approach of Jorn and his friends, he barricaded all the doors and windows and, with his companions, prepared to resist all attempts to enter. But his efforts were useless. The giant knelt down before the house, and having easily removed the door, he thrust his arm and sweeping it around the room, easily caught three of the evaders. He then put his other arm through the window of the Nickham's room, and soon pulled out lob, taking no notice of his kicks and blows. The giant then tied the four rascals in a bunch by the feet, and laid them on the grass. Now, said the citizen to the Nickham, as there seems to be nothing more to be done for this good man and his daughter, as you tell me the way to the castle of Bim, I think I can find it, if I have good directions, and I do not wish to waste any more time. I do not know the exact way," answered the Nickham. What? cried the other. Have you never been there? No, said the Nickham. Well, then, did not the person who told you about it tell you the way? No one ever told me about it, replied the Nickham. I have thought a great deal on the subject, and I feel sure that there must be such a place, and the way to find it is to go and look for it. Well, said the citizen smiling, you are a true Nickham. I suppose we have all thought of some place where everything shall be just as we want it to be, but I don't believe any of us will find that place. I'm going home. And I, too, said the giant, and on my way I will stop at the ragged mine and leave these fellows to the care of the dwarves. They will see that they molest honest men no more. And I think I will go, too, said the Nickham. I like this place very much, but I am getting tired of it now. That will be a good thing for you to do, said the citizen, who had heard the story of how the Nickham had been sent to Jorn and Loris. As a reward, you have lied for a time with these good people, and have been of some service to them, but I am quite sure they now feel that partnership with the Nickham is a very dangerous thing, and should not be kept up too long. No doubt that is true, said the Nickham. Goodbye, my friends. I will give you my room and everything that is in it. You have been very kind to us, said Loris. Yes, said Jorn, and you got me work that will last a long time. I did what I could, cried the Nickham, mounting his horse and gaily waving his hat around his head, and reversibly speaking, I took you to the castle of Bim.