Princess Ruby- Throat. 



251 



all about the Giants for a moment, and 

 alighting on a twig of laurel, stretched her 

 little wings one after the other from very- 

 satisfaction. 



But presently she flew off again, and this 

 time she approached the castles nearer than 

 she had ever been before. She flew round 

 and round one of the largest ones several 



knew that the Giant was on his way to meet 

 the intruder. 



Ruby-Throat turned with the speed of 

 lightning and fled through the court. But 

 swift as was her flight, the Giant almost 

 caught up with her, and a thrust from his 

 poisoned spear might have ended her life 

 had not she escaped in time. 



BUT SWIFT AS WAS HER FLIGHT, THE GIANT ALMOST CAUGHT UP TO HER. 



times, and at last, urged on by her irresist- 

 ible curiosity, entered its gates, and passed 

 once or twice around the outer court. Then 

 she paused and listened, but the moans of 

 the hapless prisoners inside alone fell upon 

 her ear. Emboldened by this, she ventured 

 still further, and entered the large corridor 

 that led to the Giant's own apartment, but 

 hardly had she taken a step before she re- 

 gretted her imprudence. 



For almost instantly she heard a heavy 

 tread re-echoing through the halls, and 



Sobered by this adventure, she flew home 

 very quickly, and spent the rest of the day 

 in congratulating herself upon her good 

 fortune in escaping the Giant, and vowed 

 that she would never go near those doleful 

 precincts again. 



But there was one place that Ruby-Throat 

 always visited with great pleasure, for here 

 she frequently met a little earth child who 

 was her dearest friend. This was in a shady 

 hollow, where bright berries grew and the 

 flowers bloomed constantly. 



