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Minnikin had asked for was brought； and first he ordered them to
lay the cable in the ship； but there was no one who was able to
lift it； and there was only room for one or two men at a time in
the little bit of a ship。 Then Minnikin himself took hold of the
cable； and laid one or two links of it into the ship； and as he threw
the links into it the ship grew bigger and bigger； and at last it was so
large that the cable； and the five hundred men； and provisions； and
Minnikin himself； had room enough。
‘Now go over fresh water and salt water； over hill and dale；
and do not stop until thou comest to where the King's daughter
is；' said Minnikin to the ship； and off it went in a moment
over land and water till the wind whistled and moaned all round
about it。
When they had sailed thus a long； long way； the ship stopped
short in the middle of the sea。
‘Ah； now we have got there；' said Minnikin； ‘but how we
are to get back again is a very different thing。'
Then he took the cable and tied one end of it round his body。
‘Now I must go to the bottom；' he said； ‘but when I give a good
jerk to the cable and want to come up again； you must all pull
like one man； or there will be an end of all life both for you and
for me。' So saying he sprang into the water； and yellow bubbles
rose up all around him。 He sank lower and lower； and at last he
came to the bottom。 There he saw a large hill with a door in it；
and in he went。 When he had got inside he found the other
Princess sitting sewing； but when she saw Minnikin she clapped
her hands。
‘Ah； heaven be praised！' she cried； ‘I have not seen a
Christian man since I came here。'
‘I have come for you；' said Minnikin。
‘Alas！ you will not be able to get me；' said the King's daughter。
‘It is no use even to think of that； if the Troll catches sight of
you he will take your life。'
‘You had better tell me about him；' said Minnikin。 ‘Where is
he gone？ It would be amusing to see him。'
So the King's daughter told Minnikin that the Troll was out
trying to get hold of someone who could brew a hundred lasts of
malt at one brewing； for there was to be a feast at the Troll's； at
which less than that would not be drunk。
‘I can do that；' said Minnikin。
‘Ah！ if only the Troll were not so quick…tempered I might have
told him that；' answered the Princess； ‘but he is so ill…natured
that he will tear you to pieces； I fear； as soon as he comes in。 But
I will try to find some way of doing it。 Can you hide yourself
here in the cupboard？ and then we will see what happens。'
Minnikin did this； and almost before he had crept into the cupboard
and hidden himself； came the Troll。
‘Huf！ What a smell of Christian man's blood！' said the Troll。
‘Yes； a bird flew over the roof with a Christian man's bone in
his bill； and let it fall down our chimney；' answered the Princess。
‘I made haste enough to get it away again； but it must be that
which smells so； notwithstanding。'
‘Yes； it must be that；' said the Troll。
Then the Princess asked if he had got hold of anyone who could
brew a hundred lasts of malt at one brewing。
‘No； there is no one who can do it；' said the Troll。
‘A short time since there was a man here who said he could do
it；' said the King's daughter。
‘How clever you always are！' said the Troll。 ‘How could
you let him go away？ You must have known that I was just
wanting a man of that kind。'
‘Well； but I didn't let him go； after all；' said the Princess；
‘but father is so quick…tempered； so I hid him in the cupboard； but
if father has not found any one then the man is still here。'
‘Let him come in；' said the Troll。
When Minnikin came； the Troll asked if it were true that he
could brew a hundred lasts of malt at one brewing。
‘Yes；' said Minnikin； ‘it is。'
‘It is well then that I have lighted on thee；' said the Troll。
‘Fall to work this very minute； but Heaven help thee if thou dost
not brew the ale strong。'
‘Oh； it shall taste well；' said Minnikin； and at once set himself
to work to brew。
‘But I must have more trolls to help to carry what is wanted；'
said Minnikin； ‘these that I have are good for nothing。'
So he got more and so many that there was a swarm of them；
and then the brewing went on。 When the sweet…wort was ready
they were all； as a matter of course； anxious to taste it； first the
Troll himself and then the others； but Minnikin had brewed the
wort so strong that they all fell down dead like so many flies as
soon as they had drunk any of it。 At last there was no one left
but one wretched old hag who was lying behind the stove。
‘Oh； poor old creature！' said Minnikin； ‘you shall have a taste
of the wort too like the rest。' So he went away and scooped up a
little from the bottom of the brewing vat in a milk pan； and gave
it to her； and then he was quit of the whole of them。
While Minnikin was now standing there looking about him； he
cast his eye on a large chest。 This he took and filled it with gold
and silver； and then he tied the cable round himself and the
Princess and the chest； and tugged at the rope with all his might；
whereupon his men drew them up safe and sound。
As soon as Minnikin had got safely on his ship again； he said：
‘Now go over salt water and fresh water； over hill and dale； and do
not stop until thou comest unto the King's palace。' And in a
moment the ship went off so fast that the yellow foam rose up all
round about it。
When those who were in the King's palace saw the ship； they
lost no time in going to meet him with song and music； and thus
they marched up towards Minnikin with great rejoicings； but
the gladdest of all was the King； for now he had got his other
daughter back again。
But now Minnikin was not happy； for both the Princesses
wanted to have him； and he wanted to have none other than the
one whom he had first saved； and she was the younger。 For this
cause he was continually walking backwards and forwards； thinking
how he could contrive to get her； and yet do nothing that was unkind
to her sister。 One day when he was walking about and thinking
of this； it came into his mind that if he only had his brother； King
Pippin； with him； who was so like himself that no one could
distinguish the one from the other； he could let him have the elder
Princess and half the kingdom； as for himself； he thought； the
other half was quite enough。 As soon as this thought occurred to
him he went outside the palace and called for King Pippin； but no
one came。 So he called a second time； and a little louder； but no！
still no one came。 So Minnikin called for the third time； and with
all his might； and there stood his brother by his side。
‘I told you that you were not to call me unless you were in the
utmost need；' he said to Minnikin； ‘and there is not even so much
as a midge here who can do you any harm！' and with that he
gave Minnikin such a bl