The Giant was very angry when the Prince said: “I want only the pretty little one.”
The Giant in a great rage imposed three tasks upon the King’s son. He had to clean a byre, or cow-shed, which had not been cleaned for seven years. Secondly, he was to thatch the byre with bird’s down; and lastly, he must climb a tall fir-tree and bring five eggs, unbroken, from the magpie’s nest for the Giant’s breakfast. These tasks were too great for any mortal to accomplish, but the youth was willing to try.
He worked all morning on the dirty byre, and accomplished practically nothing. At noon, while he was resting under a tree, the Giant’s daughter came and talked to him. In utter dejection he showed her the impossibility of completing the task by nightfall. With words of sympathy and encouragement, she left him and went on her way. After she had gone, the Prince in great weariness fell asleep under the tree.
It was evening before he awoke. His first thought was of the unfinished task, and he jumped to his feet, though only half awake. He looked at the byre, and then he rubbed his eyes; and then he looked at the byre again, for, lo! it was clean. Some one had come to his aid while he slept. When the Giant came home, he knew the King’s son had not cleaned the byre, but he could not prove it, so he had to keep his word.
The second and third tasks were done in much the same way. The Prince would try very hard to do the work alone, and when he was just about to fail the Giant’s daughter would come and encourage the youth.
In getting the eggs from the magpie’s nest, the Giant’s daughter was in a great hurry, because she felt her father’s breath on the back of her neck. In her haste she left her little finger in the magpie’s nest, but there was no time to go back and get it.
When the third task was finished, the Giant ordered them to get ready for the wedding.
The Giant tried to deceive the King’s son at the very last. The three daughters were dressed alike, and brought before him, and he was to choose which one was his promised bride. But the Prince knew her by the hand on which the little finger was missing; so all was well.
After the wedding the bride and bridegroom went to their chamber. The Giant’s daughter said: “Quick! quick! We must fly. My father plans to kill you.”
Then she took an apple and cut it into four parts, two of which she put on the bed; one piece was placed by the door, and the other outside. After that was done, they hurried out to the stables, mounted the blue-gray filly, and were off.