The Ogre was turning it over and over in his hand, muttering to himself, in the stupid way ogres always have: “It must be a nut, for I can see something good inside.” Robin could not hear him, but he was sure, by the help of the Owl’s wisdom, that it was the amulet.
“at daybreak robin blew the mighty horn”
In a thrice—that means while you count three—Robin was speeding away with the Hare’s swiftness toward Ogre Castle, and in a few minutes he was demanding the amulet from the Ogre.
Now usually the Ogre was not at all a disagreeable fellow, and the Owl’s wisdom would have easily sufficed to enable Robin to secure the amulet without trouble, but he had just tried to crack the amulet with his teeth. It broke off the very best tooth he had in his head, and his poor jaws ached so that he was in a very bad temper. He turned fiercely, and for a few minutes Robin needed all the strength the Lion had given him.
After all, the Ogre was one of the pneumatic-tire, hot-water-bag kind of giants, who flat out if you stick a pin into them and lie perfectly limp until they are bandaged up and set going once more. That is really a secret, but Robin knew it by the help of the Owl’s wisdom, and he was not the least little bit afraid.
“the princess waved her lily hand to robin”
So Robin managed to get the amulet away without too much difficulty, and the Hare’s swiftness quickly took him back to the palace. When the princess, who was watching from the tower window, saw the rosy light of the amulet in the distance, pinkness came back to her cheeks, and her eyes shone like stars, and she waved her lily hand to Robin in perfect happiness.
Ah, such a merrymaking as they planned for that evening! Robin was to receive the Prize for Good Luck, so much gold coin that it would take three carts and six mules to carry it back to the cottage. The king counted out money all the afternoon, and the queen put up tarts and jars of honey for Robin to take to his mother, and the princess gave him her photograph.