Page:The Folk-Lore Journal Volume 1 1883.djvu/326

 318 the breast-milk of this child up to the time that she was speaking with John the king's son. So she took John into the kitchen and made a cake with meal and this breast-milk. "Now," said she, giving him the cake and a dreoght reel of cotton, "take this reel and cast it out before you on the road, when it will lead you to my brother the giant's dominions; and mind when you see him to fling the third part of this cake into his mouth or he will eat you, and when he tastes my breast-milk he will welcome you and help you to find out this dhalheen Grey Norris."

So John started off, hopping and skipping behind his reel of cotton with a light heart. After a while he arrived at the palace of the giant, and when he got to the gates the sentinel told him to be very careful as his master was a very fierce man; but John told him never to fear.

Out came the old giant snorting and snuffing, puffing and blowing; and with his breath he nearly sucked him down his belly. But John was too quick for him, and he threw the piece of cake in his mouth; and as soon as he tasted his sister's breast-milk he said, "Welcome, John, the king's son; what do you want of me?" So John told him all about Grey Norris, and the giant told him be comforted, as he'd do the business for him.

Well that night was spent in rejoicing and feasting; and in the morning the giant looked over all his books, but he could not find the whereabouts of old Grey Norris. "Well," said he, after he had looked over a book about twelve feet by four feet in size, "Well, John, I am sorry, but I can't find him out; so if you want to find him out very badly, as you say, you had better go to my brother, but be very careful, for he is a hundred years older than me, and horrid fierce." John thanked the giant for his advice, and off he went hopping and skipping away behind his reel of cotton. When he came to the giant's house he went inside. The old giant came out snorting so that it made the earth shake; and with his breath he drew John right up to him, and would have sucked him down his stomach had he not, like common men, been forced to breathe outside, which made; John go flying back to the farthest end of the palace. When he