54 WHISPERS FROM FAIRYLAND. [..

 

the Giant was not looking, as if to caution them
against being deceived. No long time elapsed before
a knock at the door was heard, and a young man was
ushered into their presence. He was tall and well-
built, and generally of good appearance, although the
Princesses could recognise no resemblance to their
brother’s features. Then the Giant commanded him
to bare his arm, which he did, having previously, how-
ever, endeavoured to embrace his supposed sisters,
which they declined to allow, and having given a
short statement of having been lost in the forest, and
having strayed into the coal country, upon which they
did not care to question him until the mark had first
been seen. Accordingly, he bared his right arm and
displayed an undoubted blue mark which would
have corresponded with the advertisement perfectly
well.

‘This, then, must be your lost brother!’ cried the
Giant.

‘ Alas, sir!’ answered Malvina, ‘the only drawback
we at present perceive was, that the blue mark upon
our brother was upon the /ef¢ and not the right arm ;
so that this cannot be he.’

At this the Giant flew into a passion, which, how-
ever, he had the discretion to vent upon the young
man, whom he denounced as an impostor, and vowed
he should be torn in pieces by wild dogs forthwith.
The Princesses, however, begged that he might be
pardoned, since no one really suffered from his fault,
and this they did the more earnestly as they were
now well. convinced that the Giant had himself con-
cocted the fraud. They then asked him again to be