Page:The Folk-Lore Journal Volume 1 1883.djvu/328

 320 the eagle. "Very well," said the giant; "now what I want you to do is to take this young man right into Grey Norris's kingdom." "Right you are," the eagle replied. Then the giant killed a large bullock and put it on the eagle's back, and John atop of it, with a big carving-knife in his hand. "Whenever the eagle turns his head back to you, cut a piece of meat and ram it down his throat, or else he'll eat you," said the giant.

Off the eagle flew, and every now and then turned his head back to John, who did as the giant had told him to do. But as the eagle was landing in Grey Norris's dominions, he turned his head back again, and John to his sorrow found that there not a scrap of meat left, but remembering that the eagle would eat him if he didn't look sharp, he whipped a piece of flesh from his own side with the carving-knife. And here, poor fellow, he was at last with a grievous slash on his side in Grey Norris's dominions. "Now, as you've done something for me, I'll do something for you," says the eagle, "and I'll give you this bit of advice. You see that bit of a lake overright us; well, presently three women will come down to bathe as swans; then take the youngest one's clothes, for she is Grey Norris's daughter. Of course she will be ashamed to come out of the water in her right form; keep her clothes until she promises to do you a good turn when you are in want of one, then throw down the clothes and go behind those trees up into the palace." And before John could thank him he was gone. Every thing happened just as the eagle said, and John followed his instructions to the letter. When, however, he got inside the palace Grey Norris received him coolly, showed him a place to sleep in for the night, and did not seem at all pleased.

In the morning he called John and said, "I am going to give you a few tasks, which if you can't do I will put you to death. You must first go and find the fine needle that is in the litter of the stable yonder." He then took him to a place where there were all kinds of beautiful forks; but says the princess to the king's son, "Don't you take any of the beautiful forks he'll show you, John; but take the rusty old one that stands in the corner by itself, or else we'll never do the job." So when Grey Norris showed John the splendid forks John refused all of them. "So," says Grey Norris, "you won't