JAMES, THE HUNTSMAN
I have no hope of seeing them again. How will you rescue them?"
"Your majesty shall see," replied the young man. "Follow me to the hill, and let us lose no time. Every second may be valuable."
"If you can save my children," said the king, again, "I will make you my prime-minister, and grant you one-fourth of my kingdom. As you look good and true, I will also follow you. Saddle my horse," continued he, turning to his servants, "and quickly."
Late in the evening James and the king arrived at the foot of the hill which the young man knew so well. "Now we must call the king of the dwarfs," said he, "and force matters with him if he will not come to terms." Thus saying, he sounded his horn for the first time. When the last tone had died away, a fearful noise came from within the hill, and in the next minute the latter was raised upon four pillars, red as fire, disclosing a hall, from the background of which a fearful-looking troll came forward. His body was that of a child, but he had a very large head, with a nose like an old-fashioned winder, and a couple of eyes like dessert-plates. When he saw James, he began to howl furiously.
"Stop your yelling," said the king, "and bring forth my children whom you spirited away. We have come to rescue them, and we will force you to give them up."
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