'If you throw this ball on the ground it will roll along till it reaches some high cliffs.There you will see a giantess looking out over the rocks.She will call down to you and say: "Ah, this is just what Iwanted! Here is Prince Sigurd.He shall go into the pot to-night";but don't be frightened by her.She will draw you up with a long boat-hook, and you must greet her from me, and give her the smallest ring as a present.This will please her, and she will ask you to wrestle with her.When you are exhausted, she will offer you a horn to drink out of, and though she does not know it, the wine will make you so strong that you will easily be able to conquer her.
After that she will let you stay there all night.The same thing will happen with my two other sisters.But, above all, remember this:
should my little dog come to you and lay his paws on you, with tears running down his face, then hurry home, for my life will be in danger.Now, good-bye, and don't forget your stepmother.'
Then Ingiborg dropped the ball on the ground, and Sigurd bade her farewell.
That same evening the ball stopped rolling at the foot of some high rocks, and on glancing up, Sigurd saw the giantess looking out at the top.
'Ah, just what I wanted!' she cried out when she saw him; 'here is Prince Sigurd.He shall go into the pot to-night.Come up, my friend, and wrestle with me.'
With these words she reached out a long boat hook and hauled him up the cliff.At first Sigurd was rather frightened, but he remembered what Ingiborg had said, and gave the giantess her sister's message and the ring.
The giantess was delighted, and challenged him to wrestle with her.
Sigurd was fond of all games, and began to wrestle with joy; but he was no match for the giantess, and as she noticed that he was getting faint she gave him a horn to drink out of, which was very foolish on her part, as it made Sigurd so strong that he soon overthrew her.
'You may stay here to-night,' said she; and he was glad of the rest.
Next morning Sigurd threw down the ball again and away it rolled for some time, till it stopped at the foot of another high rock.Then he looked up and saw another giantess, even bigger and uglier than the first one, who called out to him: 'Ah, this is just what I wanted!
Here is Prince Sigurd.He shall go into the pot to-night.Come up quickly and wrestle with me.' And she lost no time in hauling him up.
The prince gave her his stepmother's message and the second largest ring.The giantess was greatly pleased when she saw the ring, and at once challenged Sigurd to wrestle with her.
They struggled for a long time, till at last Sigurd grew faint; so she handed him a horn to drink from, and when he had drunk he became so strong that he threw her down with one hand.
On the third morning Sigurd once more laid down his ball, and it rolled far away, till at last it stopped under a very high rock indeed, over the top of which the most hideous giantess that ever was seen looked down.
When she saw who was there she cried out: 'Ah, this is just what Iwanted! Here comes Prince Sigurd.Into the pot he goes this very night.Come up here, my friend, and wrestle with me.' And she hauled him up just as her sisters had done.
Sigurd then gave her his stepmother's message and the last and largest ring.The sight of the red gold delighted the giantess, and she challenged Sigurd to a wrestling match.This time the fight was fierce and long, but when at length Sigurd's strength was failing the giantess gave him something to drink, and after he had drunk it he soon brought her to her knees.'You have beaten me,' she gasped, so now, listen to me.'Not far from here is a lake.Go there; you will find a little girl playing with a boat.Try to make friends with her, and give her this little gold ring.You are stronger than ever you were, and I wish you good luck.'
With these words they took leave of each other, and Sigurd wandered on till he reached the lake, where he found the little girl playing with a boat, just as he had been told.He went up to her and asked what her name was.
She was called Helga, she answered, and she lived near by.
So Sigurd gave her the little gold ring, and proposed that they should have a game.The little girl was delighted, for she had no brothers or sisters, and they played together all the rest of the day.
When evening came Sigurd asked leave to go home with her, but Helga at first forbade him, as no stranger had ever managed to enter their house without being found out by her father, who was a very fierce giant.
However, Sigurd persisted, and at length she gave way; but when they came near the door she held her glove over him and Sigurd was at once transformed into a bundle of wool.Helga tucked the bundle under her arm and threw it on the bed in her room.
Almost at the same moment her father rushed in and hunted round in every corner, crying out: 'This place smells of men.What's that you threw on the bed, Helga?'
'A bundle of wool,' said she.
'Oh, well, perhaps it was that I smelt,' said the old man, and troubled himself no more.
The following day Helga went out to play and took the bundle of wool with her under her arm.When she reached the lake she held her glove over it again and Sigurd resumed his own shape.
