Page:Tales from the Fjeld.djvu/315

Rh "Your brothers say you can bring back my daughter again, and now you must do it."

Boots answered, he had never known it was the king's daughter till the king said so himself, and if he could free her and fetch her, he would be sure to do his best; but two days he must have to think over it and fit himself out. Yes, he might have two days.

So Boots took the grey ball of wool and threw it down on the road, and it rolled and rolled before him, and he followed it till he came to the old hag from whom he had got it. Her he asked what he must do; and she said he must take with him that old gun of his, and three hundred chests of nails and horseshoe brads, and three hundred barrels of barley, and three hundred barrels of grits, and three hundred carcasses of pigs, and three hundred beeves, and then he was to roll the ball of wool before him till he met a raven and a baby Troll, and then he would be all right, for they were both of her stock. Yes, the lad did as she bade him; he went right on to the king's grange, and took his old gun with him; and he asked the king for the nails and the brads, and meat and flesh, and grain, and for horses and men, and carts to carry them in. The king thought it was a good deal to ask, but if he could only get his daughter back, he might have whatever he chose, even to the half of his kingdom.

So when the lad had fitted himself out, he rolled the ball of wool before him again, and he hadn't gone many days before he came to a high hill, and there sat a raven up in a fir-tree. So Boots went on till he came close under the tree, and then he began to aim and point at the raven with his gun.