And he scratched his huge head for several minutes , for giants ' minds always move slowly . ` Ah , yes , that will do ! ' exclaimed the giant at last , his face brightening . ` You shall have the crown if you will bring me a collar of blue stones from the Arch of St. Martin , in the Great City . ' Now when the parrot had been a girl she had often heard of this wonderful arch and the precious stones and marbles that had been let into it . It sounded as if it would be a very hard thing to get them away from the building of which they formed a part , but all had gone well with her so far , and at any rate she could but try . So she bowed to the giant , and made her way back to the window where the giant could not see her . Then she called quickly : ` Eagle , come to me ! ' Before she had even reached the tree she felt herself borne up on strong wings ready to carry her to the clouds if she wished to go there , and seeming a mere speck in the sky , she was swept along till she beheld the Arch of St. Martin far below , with the rays of the sun shining on it . Then she swooped down , and , hiding herself behind a buttress so that she could not be detected from below , she set herself to dig out the nearest blue stones with her beak . It was even harder work than she had expected ; but at last it was done , and hope arose in her heart . She next drew out a piece of string that she had found hanging from a tree , and sitting down to rest strung the stones together . When the necklace was finished she hung it round her neck , and called : ` Parrot , come to me ! ' And a little later the pink and grey parrot stood before the giant . ` Here is the necklace you asked for , ' said the parrot . And the eyes of the giant glistened as he took the heap of blue stones in his hand . But for all that he was not minded to give up the crown . ` They are hardly as blue as I expected , ' he grumbled , though the parrot knew as well as he did that he was not speaking the truth ; ` so you must bring me something else in exchange for the crown you covet so much . If you fail it will cost you not only the crown but you life also . ' ` What is it you want now ? '
asked the parrot ; and the giant answered : ` If I give you my crown I must have another still more beautiful ; and this time you shall bring me a crown XXXXX stars . '
Before So as at for if into of than to