‘He is a little too far off for that,’ replied Long. ‘He would hardly hear my voice, and he couldn’t be here for some time yet, as he has so much to carry. I think I had better go and bring him myself,’ and this time he stretched himself to such a height that his head was lost in the clouds. He made two or three strides, took his friend on his back, and set him down before the prince. The new-comer was a very fat man, and as round as a barrel.
‘Who are you?’ asked the prince, ‘and what can you do?’
‘Your worship, Broad is my name, and I can make myself as wide as I please.’
‘Let me see how you manage it.’
‘Run, my lord, as fast as you can, and hide yourself in the wood,’ cried Broad, and he began to swell himself out.
The prince did not understand why he should run to the wood, but when he saw Long flying towards it, he thought he had better follow his example. He was only just in time, for Broad had so suddenly inflated himself that he very nearly knocked over the prince and his horse too. He covered all the space for acres round. You would have thought he was a mountain!
At length Broad ceased to expand, drew a deep breath that made the whole forest tremble, and shrank into his usual size.
‘You have made me run away,’ said the prince. ‘But it is not every day one meets with a man of your sort. I will take you into my service.’
So the three companions continued their journey, and when they were drawing near the rocks they met a man whose eyes were covered by a bandage.
‘Your excellency,’ said Long, ‘this is our third comrade. You will do well to take him into your service, and, I assure you, you will find him worth his salt.’