As may well be imagined, the young princesses were very glad at being thus saved, and they thanked the lad for having delivered them from the power of mountain giants.  He himself fell deep in love with the youngest princess, and they vowed to be true and faithful.  So they travelled, with mirth and jest and great gladness, and the lad waited on the princesses with the respect and care they deserved.  As they went on, the princesses played with the lad’s hair, and each one hung her finger-ring in his long locks as a keepsake.

One day as they were journeying, they came up with two wanderers who were going the same way.  They had on tattered clothes, their feet were sore, and altogether one would have thought they had come a long distance.  The lad stopped his chariot and asked them who they were and where they came from.  The strangers said they were two princes who had gone out to look for the three maidens who had been carried off to the mountains.  They had, however, searched in vain, so they had now to go home more like beggars than princes.

When the lad heard that, he had pity on the two wanderers, and he asked them to go with him in the beautiful chariot.  The princes gave him many thanks for the favour.  So they travelled on together till they came to the land over which the father of the princesses ruled.

Now when the princes heard how the poor lad had rescued the princesses, they were filled with envy, thinking how they themselves had wandered to no purpose.  They considered how they could get rid of him, and obtain the honour and rewards for themselves.  So one day they suddenly set on him, seized him by the throat, and nearly strangled him.  Then they threatened to kill the princesses unless they took an oath not to reveal what they had done, and they, being in the princes’ power, did not dare to refuse.  However, they were very sorry for the youth who had risked his life for them, and the youngest princess mourned him with all her heart, and would not be comforted.

After having done this, the princes went on to the king’s demesnes, and one can well imagine how glad the king was to once more see his three daughters.

Meanwhile the poor lad lay in the forest as if he were dead.  He was not, however, forsaken, for the three dogs lay down by him, kept him warm, and licked his wounds.  They attended to him till he got his breath again, and came once more to life.  When he had regained life and strength, he began his journey, and came, after having endured many hardships, to the king’s demesnes, where the princesses lived.

When he went into the palace, he marked that the whole place was filled with mirth and joy, and in the royal hall he heard dancing and the sound of harps.  The lad was much astonished, and asked what it all meant.

“You have surely come from a distance,” said the servant, “not to know that the king has got back his daughters from the mountain giants.  The two elder princesses are married to-day.”