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 over 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 . While the quarrel was going on , Niels had loaded the gun again , and just as the second giant was about to put a nice tit-bit into his mouth , bang ! went the gun again , and the fork flew into a dozen pieces . This giant was even more furious than the first had been , and words were just coming to blows , when the third giant again interposed . ` Do n't be fools , ' he said to them ; ` what 's the good of beginning to fight among ourselves , when it is so necessary for the three of us to work together and get the upper hand over the king of this country . It will be a hard enough task as it is , but it will be altogether hopeless if we do n't stick together . Sit down again , and let us finish our meal ; I shall sit between you , and then neither of you can blame the other . ' Niels was too far away to hear their talk , but from their gestures he could guess what was happening , and thought it good fun . ` Thrice is lucky , ' said he to himself ; ` I 'll have another shot yet . ' This time it was the third giant 's fork that caught the bullet , and snapped in two .
` Well , ' said he , ` if I were as foolish as you two , I would also fly into a rage , but I begin XXXXX see what time of day it is , and I 'm going off this minute to see who it is that 's playing these tricks with us . '
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