The Lilac Fairy Book, part 10 · page 21 2101So they gave way to him, and in he got into the basket, and down they let him.102First they lost sight of him, and then, after winding off a hundred perches of the silk rope, it slackened, and they stopped turning.103They waited two hours, and then they went to dinner, because there was no pull made at the rope.104Guards were set till next morning, and then down went the second prince, and sure enough, the youngest of all got himself let down on the third day.105He went down perches and perches, while it was as dark about him as if he was in a big pot with a cover on.106At last he saw a glimmer far down, and in a short time he felt the ground.107Out he came from the big lime-kiln, and, lo! and behold you, there was a wood, and green fields, and a castle in a lawn, and a bright sky over all.108‘It’s in Tir-na-n-Oge I am,’ says he.109‘Let’s see what sort of people are in the castle.’110On he walked, across fields and lawn, and no one was there to keep him out or let him into the castle; but the big hall-door was wide open.111He went from one fine room to another that was finer, and at last he reached the handsomest of all, with a table in the middle.112And such a dinner as was laid upon it!113The prince was hungry enough, but he was too mannerly to eat without being invited.114So he sat by the fire, and he did not wait long till he heard steps, and in came Seven Inches with the youngest sister by the hand.115Well, prince and princess flew into one another’s arms, and says the little man, says he, ‘Why aren’t you eating?’116‘I think, sir,’ says the prince, ‘it was only good manner to wait to be asked.’117‘The other princes didn’t think so,’ says he.118‘Each o’ them fell to without leave, and only gave me the rough words when I told them they were making more free than welcome.119Well, I don’t think they feel much hunger now.120There they are, good marble instead of flesh and blood,’ says he, pointing to two statues, one in one corner, and the other in the other corner of the room.121The prince was frightened, but he was afraid to say anything, and Seven Inches made him sit down to dinner between himself and his bride; and he’d be as happy as the day is long, only for the sight of the stone men in the corner.122Well, that day went by, and when the next came, says Seven Inches to him, ‘Now, you’ll have to set out that way,’ pointing to the sun, ‘and you’ll find the second princess in a giant’s castle this evening, when you’ll be tired and hungry, and the eldest princess to-morrow evening; and you may as well bring them here with you.123You need not ask leave of their masters; and perhaps if they ever get home, they’ll look on poor people as if they were flesh and blood like themselves.’1 2← previousThe Lilac Fairy Book, part 9next →The Lilac Fairy Book, part 11↑ back to The Lilac Fairy BookThis page in Markdown → https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg3454/10/page/2/