'Nay, dear friend!' said the Troll, 'only spare me, and I'll help you
to hew.'

Well, on those terms the lad was willing to spare him, and the Troll
hewed so bravely, that they felled and cut up many, many fathoms in
the day.

But when even drew near, the Troll said:

'Now you'd better come home with me, for my house is nearer than
yours.'

So the lad was willing enough; and when they reached the Troll's
house, the Troll was to make up the fire, while the lad went to fetch
water for their porridge, and there stood two iron pails so big and
heavy, that he couldn't so much as lift them from the ground.

'Pooh!' said the lad, 'it isn't worth while to touch these finer-
basins: I'll just go and fetch the spring itself.'

'Nay, nay, dear friend!' said the Troll; 'I can't afford to lose my
spring; just you make up the fire, and I'll go and fetch the water.'

So when he came back with the water, they set to and boiled up a
great pot of porridge.

'It's all the same to me', said the lad; 'but if you're of my mind,
we'll eat a match!'