"A pretty good long while," said the little girl, "and I think I must have been asleep."
"If you are hungry," said the giant, "I can give you some milk. I have some left from my supper, and it is a pity to let it get sour."
The giant went back into his castle, and lighted a torch; then he took from a shelf an enormous bowl, with some milk in it. This, with a piece of bread, he put upon the table, and told the little girl to eat.
The child looked up at him with a troubled countenance, and Shamruck instantly perceived that it was impossible for her to help herself to any of the food. She could not reach the table even if she stood upon one of his big chairs. Besides this, the bowl was entirely too large for her to manage. So, taking one of his smallest spoons, he sat down, and took the little girl on his lap. Then he fed her with milk from the spoon, and gave her as large a piece of bread as she could hold in her hands.
"TAKING MILK FROM THE GIANT'S SPOON WAS LIKE DRINKING OUT OF A SOUP PLATE."
Taking milk from the giant's spoon was like drinking out of a soup plate; but the child was very hungry. She drank the milk and ate the bread, and felt happier and happier every moment. When she had had enough, she leaned back against the giant's hand, and looked at him with a little smile, and said, "It is ever so nice not to be hungry!"
"You poor little child," said Shamruck, "are you often hungry?"
"Nearly always," said the little girl. "It didn't use to be quite so bad when mother was with me, but it was pretty bad even then."
"Where is your mother?" asked the giant.