1] THE LOST PRINCE. 43

sisters which he possibly intended to convey a friendly
feeling in the form of a pleasant smile, but which to
their eyes presented the appearance of such a frightful
grimace that they felt more than half inclined to run
away there and then. Knowing, however, that this
would be worse than useless, they very wisely re-
strained their inclination, and, rising from the rock on
which they had been seated, approached the Giant in
a timid but respectful manner.

“Who are ye, maidens?’ asked Pattle-perry with
another awful leer which he meant for a reassuring
smile.

‘We are the daughters of the King of the Flowery
Vale, answered Malvina, looking him straight in the
face.

‘Fool and dolt and idiot that I was,’ immediately
cried the Giant, slapping his thigh violently, whilst his
face lighted up with a sudden and indescribable joy ;
‘aye, and ass and pig, and wooden-headed ape into
the bargain, not to have known at the first glance
that it was the daughters of my good neighbour upon
whom I was gazing. No other ladies are so lovely,
and none others would I welcome so readily to my
country. And what seek ye, fair damsels, that ye
have wandered so far from home?’

‘We have come,’ answered Malvina, still keeping
her eyes fast fixed upon the Giant’s face—though it
was by no means a pleasant object for a girl to gaze
upon, especially as he seldom washed and had cer-
tainly not shaved that morning—‘ we have come to
seek our brother, who was lost some nine years ago,