’Then she threw a little more oats, and the cock was taking it all for himself.  And the hen said again:  “You should not do that, when you remember how I helped you to cut down the forest.”  But still Stepney took no notice of what was being said.  Then she threw a little more oats, and the cock was shoving the hen away, and the hen said:  “You would not have treated me this way the time I caught the horse for you, after you driving the spurs into my side.”

’And with that Stepney remembered all; and he jumped up, and drove all the others away, and took her for his wife, and they lived happy ever after.’

* * * * *

Another old man said:  ’There was a mouse one time said to a robin, that they would lay up a store of provisions together against the winter.  And he bade the robin to go up in the hedges and to be picking berries, and he would have the hole ready to put them in.  And then he said:  “Let you go to where they are threshing wheat; for if they saw me there, they would kill me; but if they see you, they’ll be throwing grains to you.”

’So the robin went and brought back the grains; and when the hole was full, the mouse said:  “I have enough for myself now, and go and look after your own house-keeping for the winter.”

’So the robin was vexed; and they agreed to go fight it out.  And when the day came, all the animals came together, and all the birds of the air.  And the place they fought was in a field before a big house.  And they fought till all were dead but one eagle.

’And the young man of the house came out and looked at the field; and he saw the eagle moving, and it said to him:  “Go in now, and bring me out three sheaves of wheat.”  So he did that; and the eagle nicked the grain off two of the sheaves, and then he was strong.  And he said:  “I will bring you now on a voyage if you will come with me.  But go in first to the house and bring me out a bit of yellow soap.”  So he got the bit of soap; and the eagle took him and the soap and the sheaf on its back, and flew away.  And at last it began to get tired and to droop; and the place where it dropped was in the middle of the sea.  And the young man said:  “I don’t like this, to be left down into the sea.”  Then the eagle bade him to throw away the bit of yellow soap, and where he threw it there came a green island.  And they rested on it, and eat the grain from the sheaf they had with them.

’Then the eagle took him up again; and when they came to land, it threw him down.  And there was a house near, and a giant came out of it; and he brought him in, and said to his servant:  “Give him barley bread to fatten him, and when he is fat enough, I will eat him."’

(Then he was given tasks to do, and a girl came to help him, much as Lanka Pera helped Stepney St. George in the other story.)

’And afterwards the girl said to him that they would make their escape; and they got into a boat; and what she brought with her was the three young pups of the dog that minded the giant’s house.