She pulled up a fir-tree
Just as the fun was at its liveliest, there was a mighty gurgle, and the fountain, which had been casting itself so high into the air, sank suddenly into the earth. The oldest giantess of all gathered her great fluttering robes about her, and striding to the edge of the forest, pulled up a fir-tree with one wrench of her wrist.
“Midnight!” whispered Costan.
Silently the giants crowded about the uprooted tree.
“Este tennes!” cried the giantess.
They cut into the ground like huge knives
Instantly the giants seemed to flatten out. Their backs seemed to come forward, and their fronts to shrink back. Their arms, their legs, their heads, their bodies, grew thin as cardboard. They stood there like great paper-dolls, taller than the trees. One by one, they stepped into the hole where the tree had been, and cut their way down into the ground like huge knives.
Costan bent his ear. “Are you there, little herdboy?” he whispered.
“Yes, Costan,” cried Ivan.