’Oh，you’realuckyfellow！’saidBigKlaus。’DoyouthinkI
　　shouldalsogetsomecattleifIwenttothebottomoftheriver？’
　　’Oh，yes！Ithinkso，’saidLittleKlaus。’ButIcan’tcarryyouinasacktotheriver；youaretooheavyforme！Ifyouliketogothereyourselfandthencreepintothesack，Iwillthrowyouinwiththegreatestofpleasure。’
　　’Thankyou，’saidBigKlaus；’butifIdon’tgetanysea-cattlewhenIcomethere，youwillhaveagoodhiding，mind！’
　　’Oh，no！Don’tbesohardonme！’Thentheywenttotheriver。
　　Whenthecattle，whichwerethirsty，caughtsightofthewater，theyranasquicklyastheycouldtodrink。
　　’Lookhowtheyarerunning！’saidLittleKlaus。’Theywanttogotothebottomagain！’
　　’Yes；buthelpmefirst，’saidBigKlaus，’orelseyoushallhaveabeating！’
　　Andsohecreptintothelargesack，whichwaslyingonthebackofoneoftheoxen。’Putastonein，forIamafraidImaynotreachthebottom，’saidBigKlaus。
　　’Itgoesallright！’saidLittleKlaus；butstillhelaidabigstoneinthesack，fastenedituptight，andthenpusheditin。
　　Plump！therewasBigKlausinthewater，andhesanklikeleadtothebottom。
　　’Idoubtifhewillfindanycattle！’saidLittleKlausashedrovehisownhome。
　　FromtheIcelandic。
　　OnceuponatimetherewasaKingandhisQueenintheirkingdom。
　　Theyhadonedaughter，whowascalledIngiborg，andoneson，whosenamewasRing。Hewaslessfondofadventuresthanmenofrankusuallywereinthosedays，andwasnotfamousforstrengthorfeatsofarms。Whenhewastwelveyearsold，onefinewinterdayherodeintotheforestalongwithhismentoenjoyhimself。
　　Theywentonalongway，untiltheycaughtsightofahindwithagoldringonitshorns。ThePrincewaseagertocatchit，ifpossible，sotheygavechaseandrodeonwithoutstoppinguntilallthehorsesbegantofounderbeneaththem。AtlastthePrince’shorsegavewaytoo，andthentherecameoverthemadarknesssoblackthattheycouldnolongerseethehind。Bythistimetheywerefarawayfromanyhouse，andthoughtitwashightimetobemakingtheirwayhomeagain，buttheyfoundtheyhadgotlostnow。Atfirsttheyallkepttogether，butsooneachbegantothinkthatheknewtherightwaybest；sotheyseparated，andallwentindifferentdirections。
　　ThePrince，too，hadgotlostliketherest，andwanderedonforatimeuntilhecametoalittleclearingintheforestnotfarfromthesea，wherehesawawomansittingonachairandabigbarrelstandingbesideher。ThePrincewentuptoherandsalutedherpolitely，andshereceivedhimverygraciously。Helookeddownintothebarrelthen，andsawlyingatthebottomanunusuallybeautifulgoldring，whichpleasedhimsomuchthathecouldnottakehiseyesoffit。Thewomansawthis，andsaidthathemighthaveitifhewouldtakethetroubletogetit；forwhichthePrincethankedher，andsaiditwasatleastworthtrying。Soheleanedoverintothebarrel，whichdidnotseemverydeep，andthoughthewouldeasilyreachthering；butthemorehestretcheddownafteritthedeepergrewthebarrel。Ashewasthusbendingdownintoitthewomansuddenlyroseupandpushedhiminheadfirst，sayingthatnowhecouldtakeuphisquartersthere。Thenshefixedthetoponthebarrelandthrewitoutintothesea。
　　ThePrincethoughthimselfinabadplightnow，ashefeltthebarrelfloatingoutfromthelandandtossingaboutonthewaves。
　　Howmanydayshespentthushecouldnottell，butatlasthefeltthatthebarrelwasknockingagainstrocks，atwhichhewasalittlecheered，thinkingitwasprobablylandandnotmerelyareefinthesea。Beingsomethingofaswimmer，heatlastmadeuphismindtokickthebottomoutofthebarrel，andhavingdonesohewasabletogetonshore，fortherocksbytheseaweresmoothandlevel；butoverheadtherewerehighcliffs。Itseemeddifficulttogetupthese，buthewentalongthefootofthemforalittle，tillatlasthetriedtoclimbup，whichatlasthedid。
　　Havinggottothetop，helookedroundabouthimandsawthathewasonanisland，whichwascoveredwithforest，withapplesgrowing，andaltogetherpleasantasfarasthelandwasconcerned。Afterhehadbeenthereseveraldays，heonedayheardagreatnoiseintheforest，whichmadehimterriblyafraid，sothatherantohidehimselfamongthetrees。ThenhesawaGiantapproaching，draggingasledgeloadedwithwood，andmakingstraightforhim，sothathecouldseenothingforitbuttoliedownjustwherehewas。WhentheGiantcameacrosshim，hestoodstillandlookedatthePrinceforalittle；thenhetookhimupinhisarmsandcarriedhimhometohishouse，andwasexceedinglykindtohim。Hegavehimtohiswife，sayinghehadfoundthischildinthewood，andshecouldhaveittohelpherinthehouse。Theoldwomanwasgreatlypleased，andbegantofondlethePrincewiththeutmostdelight。Hestayedtherewiththem，andwasverywillingandobedienttothemineverything，whiletheygrewkindertohimeveryday。
　　OnedaytheGianttookhimroundandshowedhimallhisroomsexcepttheparlour；thismadethePrincecurioustohavealookintoit，thinkingtheremustbesomeveryraretreasurethere。
　　Sooneday，whentheGianthadgoneintotheforest，hetriedtogetintotheparlour，andmanagedtogetthedooropenhalf-way。
　　Thenhesawthatsomelivingcreaturemovedinsideandranalongthefloortowardshimandsaidsomething，whichmadehimsofrightenedthathesprangbackfromthedoorandshutitagain。
　　Assoonasthefrightbegantopassoffhetrieditagain，forhethoughtitwouldbeinterestingtohearwhatitsaid；butthingswentjustasbeforewithhim。Hethengotangrywithhimself，and，summoningupallhiscourage，trieditathirdtime，andopenedthedooroftheroomandstoodfirm。ThenhesawthatitwasabigDog，whichspoketohimandsaid:
　　’Chooseme，PrinceRing。’
　　ThePrincewentawayratherafraid，thinkingwithhimselfthatitwasnogreattreasureafterall；butallthesamewhatithadsaidtohimstuckinhismind。
　　ItisnotsaidhowlongthePrincestayedwiththeGiant，butonedaythelattercametohimandsaidhewouldnowtakehimovertothemainlandoutoftheisland，forhehimselfhadnolongtimetolive。Healsothankedhimforhisgoodservice，andtoldhimtochoosesome-oneofhispossessions，forhewouldgetwhateverhewanted。Ringthankedhimheartily，andsaidtherewasnoneedtopayhimforhisservices，theyweresolittleworth；butifhedidwishtogivehimanythinghewouldchoosewhatwasintheparlour。TheGiantwastakenbysurprise，andsaid:
　　’There，youchosemyoldwoman’srighthand；butImustnotbreakmyword。’
　　UponthishewenttogettheDog，whichcamerunningwithsignsofgreatdelight；butthePrincewassomuchafraidofitthatitwasallhecoulddotokeepfromshowinghisalarm。
　　AfterthistheGiantaccompaniedhimdowntothesea，wherehesawastoneboatwhichwasjustbigenoughtoholdthetwoofthemandtheDog。OnreachingthemainlandtheGianttookafriendlyfarewellofRing，andtoldhimhemighttakepossessionofallthatwasintheislandafterheandhiswifedied，whichwouldhappenwithintwoweeksfromthattime。ThePrincethankedhimforthisandforallhisotherkindnesses，andtheGiantreturnedhome，whileRingwentupsomedistancefromthesea；buthedidnotknowwhatlandhehadcometo，andwasafraidtospeaktotheDog。AfterhehadwalkedoninsilenceforatimetheDogspoketohimandsaid:
　　’Youdon’tseemtohavemuchcuriosity，seeingyouneveraskmyname。’
　　ThePrincethenforcedhimselftoask，’Whatisyourname？’
　　’YouhadbestcallmeSnati-Snati，’saidtheDog。’NowwearecomingtoaKing’sseat，andyoumustasktheKingtokeepusallwinter，andtogiveyoualittleroomforbothofus。’
　　ThePrincenowbegantobelessafraidoftheDog。TheycametotheKingandaskedhimtokeepthemallthewinter，towhichheagreed。WhentheKing’smensawtheDogtheybegantolaughatit，andmakeasiftheywouldteaseit；butwhenthePrincesawthisheadvisedthemnottodoit，ortheymighthavetheworstofit。Theyrepliedthattheydidn’tcareabitwhathethought。
　　AfterRinghadbeenwiththeKingforsomedaysthelatterbegantothinktherewasagreatdealinhim，andesteemedhimmorethantheothers。TheKing，however，hadacounsellorcalledRed，whobecameveryjealouswhenhesawhowmuchtheKingesteemedRing；andonedayhetalkedtohim，andsaidhecouldnotunderstandwhyhehadsogoodanopinionofthisstranger，whohadnotyetshownhimselfsuperiortoothermeninanything。TheKingrepliedthatitwasonlyashorttimesincehehadcomethere。Redthenaskedhimtosendthembothtocutdownwoodnextmorning，andseewhichofthemcoulddomostwork。
　　Snati-SnatiheardthisandtoldittoRing，advisinghimtoasktheKingfortwoaxes，sothathemighthaveoneinreserveifthefirstonegotbroken。NextmorningtheKingaskedRingandRedtogoandcutdowntreesforhim，andbothagreed。Ringgotthetwoaxes，andeachwenthisownway；butwhenthePrincehadgotoutintothewoodSnatitookoneoftheaxesandbegantohewalongwithhim。IntheeveningtheKingcametolookovertheirday’swork，asRedhadproposed，andfoundthatRing’swood-heapwasmorethantwiceasbig。
　　’Isuspected，’saidtheKing，’thatRingwasnotquiteuseless；
　　neverhaveIseensuchaday’swork。’
　　RingwasnowinfargreateresteemwiththeKingthanbefore，andRedwasallthemorediscontented。OnedayhecametotheKingandsaid，’IfRingissuchamightyman，Ithinkyoumightaskhimtokillthewildoxeninthewoodhere，andflaythemthesameday，andbringyouthehornsandthehidesintheevening。’
　　’Don’tyouthinkthatadesperateerrand？’saidtheKing，’seeingtheyaresodangerous，andnoonehaseveryetventuredtogoagainstthem？’
　　Redansweredthathehadonlyonelifetolose，anditwouldbeinterestingtoseehowbravehewas；besides，theKingwouldhavegoodreasontoennoblehimifheovercamethem。TheKingatlastallowedhimself，thoughratherunwillingly，tobewonoverbyRed’spersistency，andonedayaskedRingtogoandkilltheoxenthatwereinthewoodforhim，andbringtheirhornsandhidestohimintheevening。Notknowinghowdangeroustheoxenwere，Ringwasquiteready，andwentoffatonce，tothegreatdelightofRed，whowasnowsureofhisdeath。