So little Prince Nix Naught Nothing grew into a strong, hearty little lad; for his father did not come back for a long time, and did not even know that he had a son.

But at long last he turned his face homewards.  Now, on the way, he came to a big rushing river which neither he nor his army could cross, for it was flood-time and the water was full of dangerous whirlpools, where nixies and water-wraiths lived, always ready to drown men.

So they were stopped, until a huge giant appeared, who could take the river, whirlpool and all, in his stride; and he said kindly, “I’ll carry you all over, if you like.”  Now, though the giant smiled and was very polite, the King knew enough of the ways of giants to think it wiser to have a hard and fast bargain.  So he said, quite curt, “What’s your pay?”

“Pay?” echoed the giant, with a grin, “what do you take me for?  Give me Nix Naught Nothing, and I’ll do the job with a glad heart.”

Now the King felt just a trifle ashamed at the giant’s generosity; so he said, “Certainly, certainly.  I’ll give you nix naught nothing and my thanks into the bargain.”

So the giant carried them safely over the stream and past the whirlpools, and the King hastened homewards.  If he was glad to see his dear wife, the Queen, you may imagine how he felt when she showed him his young son, tall and strong for his age.

“And what’s your name, young sir?” he asked of the child fast clasped in his arms.

“Nix Naught Nothing,” answered the boy; “that’s what they call me till my father gives me a name.”

Well! the King nearly dropped the child, he was so horrified.  “What have I done?” he cried.  “I promised to give nix naught nothing to the giant who carried us over the whirlpools where the nixies and water-wraiths live.”

At this the Queen wept and wailed; but being a clever woman she thought out a plan whereby to save her son.  So she said to her husband the King, “If the giant comes to claim his promise, we will give him the hen-wife’s youngest boy.  She has so many she will not mind if we give her a crown piece, and the giant will never know the difference.”

Now sure enough the very next morning the giant appeared to claim Nix Naught Nothing, and they dressed up the hen-wife’s boy in the Prince’s clothes and wept and wailed when the giant, fine and satisfied, carried his prize off on his back.  But after a while he came to a big stone and sat down to ease his shoulders.  And he fell a-dozing.  Now, when he woke, he started up in a fluster, and called out: 

  “Hodge, Hodge, on my shoulders!  Say
   What d’ye make the time o’ day?”

And the hen-wife’s little boy replied: 

  “Time that my mother the hen-wife takes
   The eggs for the wise Queen’s breakfast cakes!”

Then the giant saw at once the trick that had been played on him, and he threw the hen-wife’s boy on the ground, so that his head hit on the stone and he was killed.