86 Fairy Tales

was growing as heavy as lead when suddenly
- the grey-headed crow swooped straight at the
ogre’s face, beating with his wings, and peck-
ing with his beak, until in self-defence the
ogre was forced to put up a hand to save
himself, and that moment Hans made a dash
at a blue hair which stood stiffly forth, and
pulled it out.

He never knew what happened. There
was a shock which sent his head reeling,
everything whirled, and for a few minutes
he neither saw nor heard. When he came to
himself there was the wood, and the yellow
western sky barred with cloud, and the broad
heathery common. Upon a bare bough sat
the old crow, peering at him, and before him
knelt a young prince with a beautiful face
and fair hair, dressed in rich clothes, and
no ogre at all. The only things which re-
minded him of the ogre were the prince's
eyes, and even they were now scarcely sad,
for they smiled at Hans, and when he spoke
there was no roar in his voice, but something
deep which seemed to belong to the eyes.