Here the young giant’s father happened to be just then plowing; so Thumbling went up to him and said:
“See, father, to what a great big man your son has grown!”
But the peasant was afraid.
“Be off with you! I don’t know you,” he cried.
“But really and truly, father, I am your son,” he said. “Let me take the plow, for I can guide it quite as well as you.”
The father very unwillingly let go of the plow, for he was afraid of the giant, and sat down to watch. Then Thumbling laid one hand on the plowshare and straightway drove it so deep into the ground that the peasant cried:
“Now you will do more harm than good, if you drive so deep into the earth.”
Thereupon the young giant unharnessed the horses and began to draw the plow himself, first saying:
“Now, father, get you home and tell mother to cook a hearty meal, while I just run round the field.”
And in a very short time he had done what the peasant would have taken two whole days to do.