“I never wish for more than I am able to carry”, said the Prince.
“Lucky for you that you did not ask for a whole horse-load”, said he who came out of the rock; “but come now into the rock with me, and you shall have it.”
So the Prince went in with him, and you may fancy what heaps and heaps of gold and silver he saw lying in there, just like stones in a gravel pit; and he got a load just as big as he was able to carry, and set off home with it. Now, when the Giant came home with his goats at even, the Prince went into his room, and began to carol and sing as he had done the evenings before.
“Have you been to Hell after my fire-tax?” roared the Giant.
“Oh yes; that I have, master”, answered the Prince.
“Where have you put it?” said the Giant.
“There stands the sack on the bench yonder”, said the Prince.
“I’ll soon see to that”, said the Giant, who strode off to the bench, and there he saw the sack so full that the gold and silver dropped out on the floor as soon as ever he untied the string.
“You’ve been talking to my Mastermaid, that I can see”, said the Giant; “but if you have, I’ll wring your head off.”
“Mastermaid!” said the Prince; “yesterday master talked of this Mastermaid, and to-day he talks of her again, and the day before yesterday it was the same story. I only wish I could see what sort of thing she is! that I do.”