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Main > Norway folktales > Fairy tale "The three princesses in the blue mountain"

The three princesses in the blue mountain

” No, it was too heavy, he could not even move it. He had then to take a strengthening draught from the horn, which hung behind the door; after that he was just able to stir it, so he took another draught, and then he could lift it. At last he took a right, big draught, and he could swing the sword as easily as anything.

All at once the troll came home; he walked so heavily that the palace shook.

“Ugh, ugh! I smell Christian flesh and blood in my house,” said he.

“Yes,” answered the Princess, “a raven flew past here just now, and in his beak he had a human bone, which he dropped down the chimney; I threw it out and swept and cleaned up after it, but I suppose it still smells.”

“So it does,” said the troll.

“But come and lie down and I’ll scratch your heads,” said the Princess; “the smell will be gone by the time you wake.”

The troll was quite willing, and before long he fell asleep and began snoring. When she saw he was sleeping soundly, she placed some stools and cushions under his heads and went to call the hens. The soldier then stole into the room with the sword, and with one blow cut all the three heads off the troll.

The Princess was as pleased as a fiddler, and went with the soldier to her sisters, so that he could also set them free. First of all they went across a courtyard and then through many long rooms till they came to a big door.

“Here you must enter: here she is,” said the Princess. When he opened the door he found himself in a large hall, where everything was of pure silver; there sat the second sister at a silver spinning-wheel.

“Oh, dear; oh, dear!” she said. “What do you want here?”

“I want to set you free from the troll,” said the soldier.

“Pray do not stay, but go,” said the Princess. “If he finds you here he will take your life on the spot.”

“That would be awkward—that is if I don’t take his first,” said the soldier.

“Well, since you will stay,” she said, “you will have to creep behind the big brewing-vat in the front hall. But you must make haste and come as soon as you hear me calling the hens.

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