The Fairy of the Dawn, part 3 · page 21 2101Who could tell what it was made of?102It looked like soft little woolly clouds!103So he stood thinking what was to be done, for get across he must.104After a while, he determined to take the risk, and strode back to the sleeping giant.105‘Wake up, my brave man!’ he cried, giving him a shake.106The giant woke and stretched out his hand to pick up Petru, just as we should catch a fly.107But Petru played on his flute, and the giant fell back again.108Petru tried this three times, and when he was satisfied that the giant was really in his power he took out a handkerchief, bound the two little fingers of the giant together, drew his sword, and cried for the fourth time, ‘Wake up, my brave man.’109When the giant saw the trick which had been played on him he said to Petru.110‘Do you call this a fair fight?111Fight according to rules, if you really are a hero!’112‘I will by-and-by, but first I want to ask you a question!113Will you swear that you will carry me over the river if I fight honourably with you?’114And the giant swore.115When his hands were freed, the giant flung himself upon Petru, hoping to crush him by his weight.116But he had met his match.117It was not yesterday, nor the day before, that Petru had fought his first battle, and he bore himself bravely.118For three days and three nights the battle raged, and sometimes one had the upper hand, and sometimes the other, till at length they both lay struggling on the ground, but Petru was on top, with the point of his sword at the giant’s throat.119‘Let me go! let me go!’ shrieked he.120‘I own that I am beaten!’121‘Will you take me over the river?’ asked Petru.122‘I will,’ gasped the giant.123‘What shall I do to you if you break your word?’124‘Kill me, any way you like!125But let me live now.’126‘Very well,’ said Petru, and he bound the giant’s left hand to his right foot, tied one handkerchief round his mouth to prevent him crying out, and another round his eyes, and led him to the river.127Once they had reached the bank he stretched one leg over to the other side, and, catching up Petru in the palm of his hand, set him down on the further shore.128‘That is all right,’ said Petru.129Then he played a few notes on his flute, and the giant went to sleep again.130Even the fairies who had been bathing a little lower down heard the music and fell asleep among the flowers on the bank.131Petru saw them as he passed, and thought, ‘If they are so beautiful, why should the Fairy of the Dawn be so ugly?’132But he dared not linger, and pushed on.133And now he was in the wonderful gardens, which seemed more wonderful still than they had done from afar.134But Petru could see no faded flowers, nor any birds, as he hastened through them to the castle.135No one was there to bar his way, for all were asleep.136Even the leaves had ceased to move.137He passed through the courtyard, and entered the castle itself.138What he beheld there need not be told, for all the world knows that the palace of the Fairy of the Dawn is no ordinary place.139Gold and precious stones were as common as wood with us, and the stables where the horses of the sun were kept were more splendid than the palace of the greatest emperor in the world.1 2← previousThe Fairy of the Dawn, part 2next →The Fairy of the Dawn, part 4↑ back to The Violet Fairy BookThis page in Markdown → https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg641/21/page/2/