After this Hermod disappeared , and no one knew what had become of him ; the Queen caused search to be made for him , but he could nowhere be found . One time , when Olof was in the castle beside Hadvor , she asked the Princess if she knew where Hermod had gone to . At this Hadvor became very sad , and said that she did not . ' I shall tell you then , ' said Olof , ` for I know all about it . Hermod has disappeared through the wicked devices of the Queen , for she is a witch , and so is her daughter , though they have put on these beautiful forms . Because Hermod would not fall in with the Queen 's plans , and marry her daughter , she has laid a spell on him , to go on an island and be a lion by day and a man by night , and never be freed from this until you burn the lion 's skin . Besides , ' said Olof , ` she has looked out a match for you ; she has a brother in the Underworld , a three-headed Giant , whom she means to turn into a beautiful prince and get him married to you . This is no new thing for the Queen ; she took me away from my parents ' house and compelled me to serve her ; but she has never done me any harm , for the green cloak I wear protects me against all mischief . Hadvor now became still sadder than before at the thought of the marriage destined for her , and entreated Olof to think of some plan to save her . ' I think , ' said Olof , ` that your wooer will come up through the floor of the castle to you , and so you must be prepared when you hear the noise of his coming and the floor begins to open , and have at hand blazing pitch , and pour plenty of it into the opening . That will prove too much for him . ' About this time the King came home from his expedition , and thought it a great blow that no one knew what had become of Hermod ; but the Queen consoled him as best she could , and after a time the King thought less about his disappearance . Hadvor remained in her castle , and had made preparations to receive her wooer when he came . One night , not long after , a loud noise and rumbling was heard under the castle . Hadvor at once guessed what it was , and told her maids to be ready to help her . The noise and thundering grew louder and louder , until the floor began to open , whereupon Hadvor made them take the caldron of pitch and pour plenty of it into the opening . With that the noises grew fainter and fainter , till at last they ceased altogether . Next morning the Queen rose early , and went out to the Palace gate , and there she found her brother the Giant lying dead . She went up to him and said , ' I pronounce this spell , that you become a beautiful prince , and that Hadvor shall be unable to say anything against the charges that I shall bring against her . ' The body of the dead Giant now became that of a beautiful prince , and the Queen went in again . '
I do n't think , ' said she to the King , ` that your XXXXX is as good as she is said to be .
Giant Underworld anything cloak daughter harm opening plan prince skin