Crash!

“Quick!  Quick!” cried the Magician’s daughter, who, as you will observe, always had her wits about her.  “There is nothing for it now but to fly at once.  But first I must have my magic flask, or I shall be unable to help.  It is in my room and the door is locked.  Put your fingers, since I have none, in my pocket, take the key, unlock the door, get the flask, and follow me fast.  I shall go slower than you, for I have no toes on one foot!”

So Nix Naught Nothing did as he was bid, and soon caught up the Magician’s daughter.  But alas! they could not run very fast, so ere long the Magician, who had once again taken a giant’s form in order to have a long stride, could be seen behind them.  Nearer and nearer he came until he was just going to seize Nix Naught Nothing, when the Magician’s daughter cried:  “Put your fingers, since I have none, into my hair, take my comb and throw it down.”  So Nix Naught Nothing did as he was bid, and, lo and behold! out of every one of the comb-prongs there sprang up a prickly briar, which grew so fast that the Magician found himself in the middle of a thorn hedge!  You may guess how angry and scratched he was before he tore his way out.  So Nix Naught Nothing and his sweetheart had time for a good start; but the Magician’s daughter could not run fast because she had lost her toes on one foot!  Therefore the Magician in giant form soon caught them up, and he was just about to grip Nix Naught Nothing when the Magician’s daughter cried:  “Put your fingers, since I have none, to my breast.  Take out my veil-dagger and throw it down.”

So he did as he was bid, and in a moment the dagger had grown to thousands and thousands of sharp razors, criss-cross on the ground, and the Magician giant was howling with pain as he trod among them.  You may guess how he danced and stumbled and how long it took for him to pick his way through as if he were walking on eggs!

So Nix Naught Nothing and his sweetheart were nearly out of sight ere the giant could start again; yet it wasn’t long before he was like to catch them up; for the Magician’s daughter, you see, could not run fast because she had lost her toes on one foot!  She did what she could, but it was no use.  So just as the giant was reaching out a hand to lay hold of Nix Naught Nothing she cried breathlessly: 

“There’s nothing left but the magic flask.  Take it out and sprinkle some of what it holds on the ground.”

And Nix Naught Nothing did as he was bid; but in his hurry he nearly emptied the flask altogether; and so the big, big wave of water which instantly welled up, swept him off his feet, and would have carried him away, had not the Magician’s daughter’s loosened veil caught him and held him fast.  But the wave grew, and grew, and grew behind them, until it reached the giant’s waist; then it grew and grew until it reached his shoulders; and it grew and grew until it swept over his head:  a great big sea-wave full of little fishes and crabs and sea-snails and all sorts of strange creatures.