But when they had gone a good bit on their way, they passed close by a steep hill-side, like a wall, where the giant’s house was, and there the giant came out, and set his eyes upon them, and turned them all into stone, princes and princesses and all. Now the king waited and waited for his six sons, but the more he waited, the longer they stayed away; so he fell into great trouble, and said he should never know what it was to be glad again.
“And if I had not you left”, he said to Boots, “I would live no longer, so full of sorrow am I for the loss of your brothers.”
“Well, but now I’ve been thinking to ask your leave to set out and find them again; that’s what I’m thinking of”, said Boots.
“Nay, nay!” said his father; “that leave you shall never get, for then you would stay away too.”
But Boots had set his heart upon it; go he would; and he begged and prayed so long that the king was forced to let him go. Now, you must know the king had no other horse to give Boots but an old broken-down jade, for his six other sons and their train had carried off all his horses; but Boots did not care a pin for that, he sprang up on his sorry-old-steed.
“Farewell, father”, said he; “I’ll come back, never fear, and like enough I shall bring my six brothers back with me”; and with that he rode off.
So, when he had ridden a while, he came to a Raven, which lay in the road and flapped its wings, and was not able to get out of the way, it was so starved.
“Oh, dear friend”, said the Raven, “give me a little food, and I’ll help you again at your utmost need.”
“I haven’t much food”, said the Prince, “and I don’t see how you’ll ever be able to help me much; but still I can spare you a little. I see you want it.”
So he gave the raven some of the food he had brought with him.