Atondido Stories
That day passed as the day before. After supper the magician
brought back the princess and, looking fiercely at the prince, he
sneered and said: “Now we’ll see who wins, you or I.”
This night the prince and his men tried harder than ever to
stay awake. They didn’t even allow themselves to sit down but
kept walking. All in vain. One after another they fell asleep on
their feet and again the princess escaped.
In the morning the prince, as usual, was the first to awake.
When he saw the princess was gone, he aroused Keen.
“Wake up, Keen!” he cried. “Look out and tell me where the
princess is.”
This time Keen had to look long before he saw her.
“Master, she is far away. Three hundred miles from here
there is a black sea. At the bottom of that sea is a shell. In that
shell is a golden ring. That ring is the princess. But don’t be wor-
ried, master, we’ll get her. This time let Longshanks take Girth as
well as me, for we may need him.”
So Longshanks put Keen on one shoulder and Girth on the
other. Then he stretched himself out until he was able to cover
thirty miles at a stride. When they reached the black sea Keen
showed Longshanks where to reach down in the water for the
shell. Longshanks reached down as far as he could but not far
enough to touch bottom.
“Wait, comrades, wait a bit,” said Girth. “Now it’s my turn to
help.”
With that he puffed himself out and out as far as he could.
Then he lay down on the beach and began drinking up the sea.
He drank it in such great gulps that soon Longshanks was able
to reach bottom and to get the shell. Longshanks took out the
ring and then, putting his comrades on his shoulders, started
back for the castle. He was not able to go fast, for Girth, with
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