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Tales from the Fjeld

him such a swarm of little Trolls, and each asked the other in full cry—

"What has my lord to order? What has my lord to order?"

Taper Tom said he never knew he was lord over them; but if he was to order anything, he wished they would fetch him the prettiest princess to be found in twelve kingdoms. Yes! that was no great thing, the little Trolls thought; they knew well enough where she was, and they could show him the way, and then he might go and get her for himself, for they had no power to touch her.

Then they showed him the way, and he got to the end of his journey well and happily. There was not any one who laid so much as two sticks across in his way. It was a Troll's castle, and in it sat three lovely