"Who," said he, "has broken open my door?" The lad answered boldly--

"I did it, and now I will break you. Hold-fast, hold him fast; Tear and
Quick-ear, tear him into a thousand pieces!" The dogs straightway sprang
forward and threw themselves on the giant, and tore him into pieces as
numberless as are the leaves which fall in the autumn. Then the princess
was very glad, and said--

"Heaven be thanked! Now I am free!" She threw herself on the lad's neck
and kissed him. He led her to her sister, and one can well imagine how
glad they were to meet. The lad took all the treasures that the giant's
dwelling contained, put them on the gold-shod horses, and set out with
the two princesses.

They again travelled a great distance, and the youth waited on the
princesses with the respect and care they deserved.

It chanced one day that Quick-ear, who went before to get news, came
running fast to his master, and told him he had been near a high
mountain, and had heard the third princess sitting within, spinning
cloth of gold. The giant himself was not in. The youth was well pleased
to hear this, and he hurried to the mountain accompanied by his dogs.
When they came there, Quick-ear said--

"There is no time to be lost. The giant is not more than five miles off.
I well know it. I hear the sound of his horse's gold shoes on the
stones."

The lad told his dogs to break in the door, and they did so. When he