On the following morning, the king’s son left a blessing with his foster-mother, took one for the road from her, and went away carrying the three cakes with him. He travelled that day with great swiftness over hills and through valleys, past great towns and small villages, and never stopped nor stayed till he came in the evening to a very large castle. In he went, and inside was a woman before him.
“God save you!” said he to the woman.
“God save yourself!” said she; “and will you tell me what brought you the way, and where are you going?”
“I came here,” said the king’s son, “to see the giant of this castle, and to speak with him.”
“Be said by me,” replied the woman, “and go away out of this without waiting for the giant.”
“I will not go without seeing him,” said the king’s son. “I have never set eyes on a giant, and I’ll see this one.”
“I pity you,” said the woman; “your time is short in this life. You’ll not be long without seeing the giant, and it’s not much you’ll see in this world after setting eyes on him; and it would be better for you to take a drink of wine to give you strength before he comes.”
The king’s son had barely swallowed the wine when he heard a great noise beyond the castle.
“Fee, faw, foh!” roared some one, in a thundering voice.