They caught the wind that blew before them , and the wind that blew behind them did not catch them . At last they were near the castle where the other sister lived ; and there she was , waiting for them under a high hedge , and a fine steed under her . But the giant was now in sight , roaring like a hundred lions , and the other giant was out in a moment , and the chase kept on . For every two springs the horses gave , the giants gave three , and at last they were only seventy perches off . Then the prince stopped again , and flung the second knife behind him . Down went all the flat field , till there was a quarry between them a quarter of a mile deep , and the bottom filled with black water ; and before the giants could get round it , the prince and princesses were inside the kingdom of the great magician , where the high thorny hedge opened of itself to everyone that he chose to let in . There was joy enough between the three sisters , till the two eldest saw their lovers turned into stone . But while they were shedding tears for them , Seven Inches came in , and touched them with his rod . So they were flesh , and blood , and life once more , and there was great hugging and kissing , and all sat down to breakfast , and Seven Inches sat at the head of the table . When breakfast was over , he took them into another room , where there was nothing but heaps of gold , and silver , and diamonds , and silks , and satins ; and on a table there was lying three sets of crowns : a gold crown was in a silver crown , and that was lying in a copper crown . He took up one set of crowns , and gave it to the eldest princess ; and another set , and gave it to the second youngest princess ; and another , and gave it to the youngest of all ; and says he , ` Now you may all go to the bottom of the pit , and you have nothing to do but stir the basket , and the people that are watching above will draw you up . But remember , ladies , you are to keep your crows safe , and be married in them , all the same day . If you be married separately , or if you be married without your crowns , a curse will follow -- mind what I say . ' So they took leave of him with great respect , and walked arm-in-arm to the bottom of the draw-well . There was a sky and a sun over them , and a great high wall , covered with ivy , rose before them , and was so high they could not see to the top of it ; and there was an arch in this wall , and the bottom of the draw-well was inside the arch . The youngest pair went last ; and says the princess to the prince , ` I 'm sure the two princes do n't mean any good to you . Keep these crowns under your cloak , and if you are obliged to stay last , do n't get into the basket , but put a big stone , or any heavy thing inside , and see what will happen . ' As soon as they were inside the dark cave , they put in the eldest princess first , and stirred the basket , and up she went . Then the basket was let down again , and up went the second princess , and then up went the youngest ; but first she put her arms round her prince 's neck , and kissed him , and cried a little . At last it came to the turn of the youngest prince , and instead of going into the basket he put in a big stone .
He drew XXXXX one side and listened , and after the basket was drawn up about twenty perches , down came it and the stone like thunder , and the stone was broken into little bits .
So before if inside into like near on till without