he said . ` I 've just shot a stag , ' said Rasmus , highly pleased with himself . ` That 's nothing , ' said Niels . ` I 've often shot a sparrow , which is a much more difficult thing to do . ' It was now close on midnight , so Niels began his watch , and Rasmus went to sleep . It began to get colder , and Niels began to walk about a little to keep himself warm . He soon found that they were not far from the edge of the forest , and when he climbed up one of the trees there he could see out over the open country beyond . At a little distance he saw a fire , and beside it there sat three giants , busy with broth and beef . They were so huge that the spoons they used were as large as spades , and their forks as big as hay-forks : with these they lifted whole bucketfuls of broth and great joints of meat out of an enormous pot which was set on the ground between them . Niels was startled and rather scared at first , but he comforted himself with the thought that the giants were a good way off , and that if they came nearer he could easily hide among the bushes . After watching them for a little , however , he began to get over his alarm , and finally slid down the tree again , resolved to get his gun and play some tricks with them . When he had climbed back to his former position , he took good aim , and waited till one of the giants was just in the act of putting a large piece of meat into his mouth . Bang ! went Niels ' gun , and the bullet struck the handle of the fork so hard that the point went into the giant 's chin , instead of his mouth . ` None of your tricks , ' growled the giant to the one who sat next him . ` What do you mean by hitting my fork like that , and making me prick myself ? ' ' I never touched your fork , ' said the other . ` Do n't try to get up a quarrel with me . ' ` Look at it , then , ' said the first . ` Do you suppose I stuck it into my own chin for fun ? '
The two got so angry XXXXX the matter that each offered to fight the other there and then , but the third giant acted as peace-maker , and they again fell to their eating .
as for from like of off on over that up