The King was very unwilling to permit it , but at last the lad got leave . He stayed with his father , and all went prosperously and well with them the whole day , until they came back to land in the evening . Then the lad found that he had lost his pocket-handkerchief , and would go out in the boat after it ; but no sooner had he got into the boat than it began to move off with him so quickly that the water foamed all round about , and all that the lad did to keep the boat back with the oars was done to no purpose , for it went on and on the whole night through , and at last he came to a white strand that lay far , far away . 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 XXXXX 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 .
after among at if in than that through until with