There he paused , for the sound of music broke upon his ears , and opening a door near him , he beheld a girl sitting by the window , holding a harp . ` Haste and begone , I see the giant close at hand , ' she whispered hurriedly , ` but when he is asleep , return hither , for I would speak with thee . ' And the prince did as he was bid , and when midnight struck he crept back to the top of the castle . ` To-morrow , ' said the girl , who was the giant 's daughter , ` to-morrow thou wilt get the choice of my two sisters to marry , but thou must answer that thou wilt not take either , but only me . This will anger him greatly , for he wishes to betroth me to the son of the king of the Green City , whom I like not at all . ' Then they parted , and on the morrow , as the girl had said , the giant called his three daughters to him , and likewise the young prince to whom he spoke . ` Now , O son of the king of Tethertown , the time has come for us to part . Choose one of my two elder daughters to wife , and thou shalt take her to your father 's house the day after the wedding . ' ` Give me the youngest instead , ' replied the youth , and the giant 's face darkened as he heard him . ` Three things must thou do first , ' said he . ` Say on , I will do them , ' replied the prince , and the giant left the house , and bade him follow to the byre , where the cows were kept . ` For a hundred years no man has swept this byre , ' said the giant , ` but if by nightfall , when I reach home , thou has not cleaned it so that a golden apple can roll through it from end to end , thy blood shall pay for it . ' All day long the youth toiled , but he might as well have tried to empty the ocean . At length , when he was so tired he could hardly move , the giant 's youngest daughter stood in the doorway . ` Lay down thy weariness , ' said she , and the king 's son , thinking he could only die once , sank on the floor at her bidding , and fell sound asleep . When he woke the girl had disappeared , and the byre was so clean that a golden apple could roll from end to end of it . He jumped up in surprise , and at that moment in came the giant . ` Hast thou cleaned the byre , king 's son ? ' asked he . ' I have cleaned it , ' answered he .
` Well , since thou wert so active to-day , to-morrow thou wilt thatch this XXXXX with a feather from every different bird , or else thy blood shall pay for it , ' and he went out .
City Tethertown byre cows day first left midnight to-morrow years