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The Gate of the Giant Scissors by Annie Fellows Johnston
page 14 of 102 (13%)
"Here," she said, giving them into his hands; "because thou wast
persevering and fearless in setting me free, these shall win for thee
thy heart's desire. But remember that thou canst not keep them sharp and
shining, unless they are used at least once each day in some
unselfish service."

Before he could thank her she had vanished, and he was left in the
forest alone. He could see the Ogre standing powerless to hurt him, on
the other side of the chasm, and gnashing his teeth, each one of which
was as big as a millston.

The sight was so terrible, that he turned on his heel, and fled away as
fast as his feet could carry him. By the time he reached the edge of the
forest he was very tired, and ready to faint from hunger. His heart's
greatest desire being for food, he wondered if the scissors could obtain
it for him as the Fairy had promised. He had spent his last coin and
knew not where to go for another.

Just then he spied a tree, hanging full of great, yellow apples. By
standing on tiptoe he could barely reach the lowest one with his
scissors. He cut off an apple, and was about to take a bite, when an
old Witch sprang out of a hollow tree across the road.

"So you are the thief who has been stealing my gold apples all this last
fortnight!" she exclaimed. "Well, you shall never steal again, that I
promise you. Ho, Frog-eye Fearsome, seize on him and drag him into your
darkest dungeon!"

At that, a hideous-looking fellow, with eyes like a frog's, green hair,
and horrid clammy webbed fingers, clutched him before he could turn to
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