’And when they had gone a little way on the sea, the giant missed them; and he sent the dog after them to bring the girl back.  But as soon as the dog came close to them, and opened its mouth to take hold of her, she put one of the pups into it, and it turned back to the shore again to bring the pup safe to land.  And the giant was very angry when he saw it coming without the girl, and he sent it after them again.  And the girl did the same thing as before, and put the second pup into its mouth, that it turned back again.  And the giant sent it back the third time, and gave it great abuse for coming to shore without her.  And the third time she dropped the pup into the water, for she was vexed, the dog to come so often.  And the dog would not pick it up at first, for he was afraid to pick it up again after all the abuse he got from the giant.  But when he saw it going to drown, he took it up and turned back, and they were free of him then.

’And they came to land; and the young man left the girl down by a shoemaker’s house while he went on to make all ready for her at his own house.  But she bade him not to let a dog lick his face or touch it, or he would forget all about her.  But when he went in, his dog jumped up and licked his face; and he forgot the girl or that he ever had seen her.

’And as for her, she waited; and he did not come back, and she knew no one in the place; and she went up in a tree that was over the well in the shoemaker’s garden to hide herself.  And after a while the shoemaker sent out one of his daughters to the well to bring in water.  And when she stooped down, she saw the shadow of the girl in the tree, and she thought it was herself, and she said:  “My father should not be sending such a handsome girl as that to be bringing in water;” and she threw the tin can down against a wall and broke it, and went in.

’Then the shoemaker sent out the second daughter for water; and she stooped down; and she thought it was her own face she saw; and she no better-looking than myself, and that’s not saying much.’ (Applause from all the old men.) ’So she wouldn’t bring the water, but went in without it.

’Then he sent his missus out, that was the ugliest you ever saw—­old and withered.  But that did not hinder her from thinking the shadow she saw was herself; and it is proud she was going into the house again.

’So at last the shoemaker himself went out, and when he stooped and saw the shadow, he looked up in the tree, and he said:  “Come down out of that, for you have given me trouble enough.”  So she came down, and told him her story; and he brought her to the young man’s house.’ (The cock and hen now come in as in Lanka Pera.) ’And they lived happily ever after.’

* * * * *

Another says:  ’There was a young man killed a deer one time he was out hunting.  And a lion and a hound and a hawk came by, and they asked a share of it.  And he gave the flesh to the lion, and the bones to the dog, and the guts to the hawk.  And they thanked him; and they said from that time he would have the strength of a lion, and the quickness of a hound, and the lightness of a hawk.