Matheson Collection > Popular tales of the west Highlands > Volume 1

THE BATTLE OF THE BIRDS. 27
astonishing himself. In a twinkling he sees the very-
grandest place he ever saw. A great castle, and an
orchard about the castle, in which was every kind of
fruit and herb. He stood full of wonder and regret for
having loosed the bundle — it was not in his power to
put it back again — and he would have wished this pretty
place to be in the pretty little green hollow that was
opposite his father's house ; but, at one glance, he sees a
great giant coming towards him.
" Bad's the place where thou hast built thy house,
king's son," says the giant. " Yes, but it is not here I
would wish it to be, though it happened to be here by
mishap," says the king's son. "What's the reward thou
wouldst give me for putting it back in the bundle as it
was before ? " " What's the reward thou wouldst ask ? "
says the king's son. " If thou ■\vilt give me the first son
thou hast when he is seven years of age," says the
giant. "Thou wilt get that if I have a son," said the
king's son.
In a twinkling the giant put each garden, and orchard,
and castle in the bundle as they were before. " Now,"
says the giant, " take thou thine own road, and I will
take my road ; but mind thy promise, and though thou
shouldst forget, I will remembtr."
The king's son took to the road, and at the end of a
few days he reached the place he was fondest of. He
loosed the bundle, and the same place was just as it was
before. And when he opened the castle-door he sees
the handsomest maiden he ever cast eye upon. "Advance,
king's son," said the pretty maid; "everything is in
order for thee, if thou wilt marry me this very night."
"It's I am the man that is willing," said the king's son.
And on the same night they married.
But at the end of a day and seven years, what great