Away went the prince, and bedad! it's tired and hungry he was
when he reached the first castle, at sunset. Oh, wasn't the
second princess glad to see him! And what a good supper she gave
him. But she heard the giant at the gate, and she hid the prince
in a closet. Well, when he came in, he snuffed, an' he snuffed,
and says he, 'By the life, I smell fresh meat.' 'Oh,' says the
princess, 'it's only the calf I got killed to-day.' 'Ay, ay,'
says he, 'is supper ready?' 'It is,' says she; and before he rose
from the table he ate three-quarters of a calf, and a flask of
wine. 'I think,' says he, when all was done, 'I smell fresh meat
still.' 'It's sleepy you are,' says she; 'go to bed.' 'When will
you marry me?' says the giant. 'You're putting me off too long.'
'St. Tibb's Eve,' says she. 'I wish I knew how far off that is,'
says he; and he fell asleep, with his head in the dish.

Next day, he went out after breakfast, and she sent the prince to
the castle where the eldest sister was. The same thing happened
there; but when the giant was snoring, the princess wakened up
the prince, and they saddled two steeds in the stables and rode
into the field on them. But the horses' heels struck the stones
outside the gate, and up got the giant and strode after them. He
roared and he shouted, and the more he shouted, the faster ran
the horses, and just as the day was breaking he was only twenty
perches behind. But the prince didn't leave the castle of Seven
Inches without being provided with something good. He reined in
his steed, and flung a short, sharp knife over his shoulder, and
up sprung a thick wood between the giant and themselves. They
caught the wind that blew before them, and the wind that blew
behind them did not catch them. At last they were near the castle
where the other sister lived; and there she was, waiting for them