| Show SANTA AND THE GIANT KILLER Eric Frees Kingdom Aids Three Princes By Sigrid Arne a ae T LI c HE OPENED TH THE THIRD CASKET I THE TilE STORY SO FAR Eric a fisherman's fishermans fishermans fisherman's fishermans fisherman's fisher fisher- mans man's son accompanies the three princes of Thuringia to their home after after releasing them from a spell The princes find their home city de de de- CHAPTER NINETEEN The three princes of Thuringia looked into every house But they didn't find a soul Eric followed them about wishing he could help Finally Harald the oldest one said to his two younger brothers We must wait for night We will use fathers father's old signal Then the brothers s set e t o 0 out u t through the town collecting logs and carrying them to the crests of the three hills around the city They worked until they had great piles of logs on each hill At dusk Harald said to Eric Now wait on the palace steps So Eric leading his winged horse went to the palace steps In a half hour he saw three great fires flaming flaming flam flam- ing from the hills In another half hour he saw people hurrying over the hills The three princes came running back to the palace I was right Harald shouted with glee The people are not dead They just moved beyond the hills Those three fires were my fathers father's signal when the kingdom kingdom king king- dom was invaded It brought the themen themen themen men from all the surrounding villages vil vii lages lager Hundreds Jot of shouting people filled the castle courtyard They were happy but they also looked looke puzzled One very old man raised his staff and asked the others to tobe tobe tobe I be quiet He said Whence came carne you you We have answered the old signal of Harald the Brave I am the son of Harald the i Brave shouted the oldest prince I Then there was great rejoicing The very old man fell on his knees knee and prayed A hundred years before before before be be- fore he had vowed he would liv live to see the sons of Harald the Brave Brav come back He had been a young boy when the giants giant stole th the princes from the castle And now I he tie was a hundred and twelve years year old The people told the princes this thi I story The day the giant without a heart had taken the boys prisoner the giants giant's mother had come into town followed by hundreds o of snakes The people had fled Even the he king They had lived beyond the hills all those years The king finally died That night there was a great banquet to celebrate the return of the he princes Harald was declared king and he asked Eric to sit with him to watch the dancers As they watched Harald said to Eric You have refused my kind kind- dom which you richly deserve But tomorrow I shall fit you out like a king Is there anything you want Oh yes said Eric I should like ike a fine outfit for my father Saul and one for my mother Inga Inga The next morning the princes' princes tailor brought Eric a suit of blue satin stitched hed in silver thread Over this his he put a cloak of soft gray fur There were also silver leather sandals and a silver sword And last the princes gave Eric three caskets for his parents Eric opened one and there lay a deep blue velvet dress and cloak for his mother He opened the second and there lay a fine wine-red wine suit for his father He opened the third casket It contained so many gold pieces that his father would need never work again How can I thank you said Eric His eyes glistened with hap hap- By coming back to visit us said the three princes That I may said Eric His eyes yes twinkled with the secret of his own adventures He knew that if his adventures met with approval approval approval ap ap- ap- ap of the fairy world he might be king by Christmas day So he added You will probably hear from me next Christmas And they did But now Eric tied his three caskets caskets caskets cas cas- of gifts to his saddle mounted his winged horse and set out for forthe forthe forthe the kingdom of the good gray Queen and for Santa All rights reserved AP Feature Service |
