At this moment there was a distant rumbling as of thunder. "'Tis the
Ogre!" cried the Fairy. "We must hasten." Seizing the scissors that lay
on the ground where Ethelried had dropped them, she opened and shut them
several times, exclaiming:

"Scissors, grow a giant's height
And save us from the Ogre's might!"

Immediately they grew to an enormous size, and, with blades extended,
shot through the tangled thicket ahead of them, cutting down everything
that stood in their way,--bushes, stumps, trees, vines; nothing could
stand before the fierce onslaught of those mighty blades.

The Fairy darted down the path thus opened up, and Ethelried followed as
fast as he could, for the horrible roaring was rapidly coming nearer. At
last they reached a wide chasm that bounded the Ogre's domain. Once
across that, they would be out of his power, but it seemed impossible to
cross. Again the Fairy touched the scissors, saying:

"Giant scissors, bridge the path,
And save us from the Ogre's wrath."

Again the scissors grew longer and longer, until they lay across the
chasm like a shining bridge. Ethelried hurried across after the Fairy,
trembling and dizzy, for the Ogre was now almost upon them. As soon as
they were safe on the other side, the Fairy blew upon the scissors, and,
presto, they became shorter and shorter until they were only the length
of an ordinary sword.