There he landed , and when he had walked on for some distance he met an old man with a long white beard . ` What is the name of this country ? ' said the youth . ` Whiteland , ' answered the man , and then he begged the youth to tell him whence he came and what he was going to do , and the youth did so . ` Well , then , ' said the man , ` if you walk on farther along the seashore here , you will come to three princesses who are standing in the earth so that their heads alone are out of it . Then the first of them will call you -- she is the eldest -- and will beg you very prettily to come to her and help her , and the second will do the same , but you must not go near either of them . Hurry past , as if you neither saw nor heard them ; but you shall go to the third and do what she bids you ; it will bring you good fortune . ' When the youth came to the first princess , she called to him and begged him to come to her very prettily , but he walked on as if he did not even see her , and he passed by the second in the same way , but he went up to the third . ` If thou wilt do what I tell thee , thou shalt choose among us three , ' said the Princess . So the lad said that he was most willing , and she told him that three Trolls had planted them all three there in the earth , but that formerly they had dwelt in the castle which he could see at some distance in the wood . ` Now , ' she said , ` thou shalt go into the castle , and let the Trolls beat thee one night for each of us , and if thou canst but endure that , thou wilt set us free . ' ` Yes , ' answered the lad , ' I will certainly try to do so . ' ` When thou goest in , ' continued the Princess , ` two lions will stand by the doorway , but if thou only goest straight between them they will do thee no harm ; go straight forward into a small dark chamber ; there thou shalt lie down . Then the Troll will come and beat thee , but thou shalt take the flask which is hanging on the wall , and anoint thyself wheresoever he has wounded thee , after which thou shalt be as well as before . Then lay hold of the sword which is hanging by the side of the flask , and smite the Troll dead . ' So he did what the Princess had told him . He walked straight in between the lions just as if he did not see them , and then into the small chamber , and lay down on the bed . The first night a Troll came with three heads and three rods , and beat the lad most unmercifully ; but he held out until the Troll was done with him , and then he took the flask and rubbed himself . Having done this , he grasped the sword and smote the Troll dead . In the morning when he went to the sea-shore the Princesses were out of the earth as far as their waists .
The next night everything happened in the same way , but the Troll who came then had six heads and six rods , and he beat him much more severely than the XXXXX had done but when the lad went out of doors next morning , the Princesses were out of the earth as far as their knees .
Princess Troll Trolls Whiteland first morning night princesses third waists