32 WHISPERS FROM FAIRYLAND. [1.

 

joy: ‘Well done, young lady,’ he cried ; ‘you. have
spoken just as you ought to have spoken, and al-
though your dear sister fell into the error of asking a
question, instead of calmly stating her wishes, the
fault is one of a trifling nature, and shall at once be
overlooked. You have now only to listen to me,
which I beg you to do with great attention. The
Giant Pattle-perry is the sole cause of all the misery
which you and your parents have endured for the
last nine years. This fellow is one of the worst giants
the world ever saw, which is saying a great deal, for
those overgrown rascals are a bad lot altogether.
He inhabits the Coal Country which lies beyond this
forest, and is a terrible tyrant to his unfortunate
people, whom he compels to work in his coal-pits,
which of course bring him in a large revenue. As
the inhabitants of his country are insufficient to
supply him with all the workmen he requires, he has
long been in the habit of kidnapping anybody and
everybody he could, and being well versed in the
arts of magic, has frequently resorted to the most
unfair measures in order to carry out his ends. He
has, properly speaking, no power in this forest, except
that, being bigger than I am, I cannot drive him out
of it if he chooses to walk in it. This he does not
often do, though oftener than I could wish, and many
a roast leg of pork has graced his table which ought
now to be a living limb of one of my faithful pigs.
The Giant knows, however, that two can play at
magic as well as one, and has not lately troubled me.
But nine years ago he was here, and approached
nearer to your father’s palace than he had ever done