And so he slew him, and the watching elf burst into laughter at
the victory.
"Now," said the Elf, "I have a gift for thee. I have three sisters: all
are beautiful, and all shall be thine own if thou wilt but unbind my
hands." The strong man set him free. And so he led the man to another
cave, and there he saw three girls so strangely fair they seemed to be
a dream. The first, indeed, was very beautiful, and yet as plump as she
was lovely; then the second maid was tall, superb, and most
magnificent, in rarest furs, with richest wampum bands, the very
picture of a perfect bride; bet fairer than them both, as much more
fair as swans outrival ducks, the youngest smiled. And the young
chieftain chose her for his own.
With the three girls he went into the day. Far on the rocks above him
he could see his two companions, and a sudden thought came to his mind,
for he was quick to think, and so he called, "I say, let down a rope; I
have three girls here, and they cannot climb." And so the two strong
men let down a cord: then the first fairy-maid went up by it, and then
the second. Now the chief cried out, "It is my turn; now you must pull
on me!" And saying this, he tied a heavy stone, just his own weight,
unto the long rope's end, then bid them haul. It rose, but as it came
just to the top the traitors let it fall, as he supposed they would, to
murder him.
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