when the captain and lieutenant came home they were surprised to find the soldier alive. he told them what had happened from first to last, where the princesses were and how they should find them. they became as pleased as if they had already found them, and when they had had some food, they took with them a basket and as much rope as they could find, and all three set off to the mound. there they first dug out the turf just as the old man had told them, and underneath they found a big stone slab, which it took all their strength to turn over.