The old woman and the five brothers

 Then she bade them good-by and hobbled away. In the evening the boys told their parents what had occurred and repeated the names that had been bestowed on them. The father and mother were much astonished and asked where the stranger had come from and all particulars about her, but the boys could only tell what had happened, and the whole thing would soon have been forgotten had it not been for the names. These they did not forget, and the more they were used, the more each boy acquired of the quality his name denoted. Thus Watchwell was a faithful guardian of the welfare of all the brothers; was there a burden to carry, Holdwell's strong arms were ready; was there need of fagots for the winter fire, Hitwell would go to the dark pine woods and cut such a pile as gladdened the parents' hearts; not a rabbit or bird could escape the keen eyes of Spywell; and by constant practice little Climbwell could scale the steepest mountain cliffs.

Years rolled on. The boys had grown into tall young men, and all this time they had never crossed the rough ridges that walled in their valley, and they knew of the great world which lay outside only by hearsay. But now they wanted to go forth from the old home to seek their fortunes. So the father and mother gave them their blessing and bade them continue to work together and help each other as they had in the past.

Then the young men departed, following the steep track over the high mountains at first, and afterward going down a fertile valley to the sea. Sometimes they rested at a farmhouse, sometimes in a village, and they occasionally got a few days' work, but it was not easy to find permanent positions where all five could be together. Many a farmer would gladly have engaged Watchwell and Spywell to guard his flocks, but had no employment for the remaining brothers. Holdwell and Climbwell might have joined the lads of the hamlets along the ocean-side in fishing or in sea-bird hunting, but here again there was no work suited to the other three.

Yet they were not discouraged. They had stout hearts and strong limbs and were sure good fortune awaited them somewhere. So they went on climbing over lofty heights, fording swift rivers and passing through gloomy woods with tangled undergrowths of brambles and tall ferns. They would have had great difficulty in getting through some of the forests had not Hitwell been there to clear a path for them.

At last they came to a vast plain. The sun was setting and its golden rays lit up the many spires and walls and roofs of a large city. "This must be the city of the king!" cried Watchwell.

"Yes," said Spywell, "look, there is the royal flag flying on the tower of the palace."

They hastened on, and, as the darkness was deepening into night, they entered the city and went straight to the palace, where they asked for employment. This request was reported to the king, who came himself to look at the five stalwart fellows. He was much pleased with their appearance and told them he would take them into his service if they would agree to remain through the winter at his court and guard his daughters on the coming Christmas Eve.

"Do not, however, pledge yourselves to stay, until you learn the nature of the task that lies before you," said he; "for I have made a vow that the life of the next man who fails in this duty shall be forfeited. Now listen. Two years ago I had five daughters, but Christmas before last, my golden-haired Elma disappeared mysteriously in the dead of night. Search was made in all directions, but no trace of her could be discovered. Another Christmas Eve came. The princesses' apartments were carefully guarded, no strangers were admitted, and only old and faithful servants were near them. Yet when morning came Irene, my second daughter, was nowhere to be found. I am fearful that a third daughter will be taken this year, and the guard who allows that to happen shall die. On the other hand, if he prevents this misfortune he shall marry one of the princesses and be to me as a son. It will be death or honor. Will you attempt this task or not?"

"We will stay and guard the princesses!" they cried with one voice; "and I," said Watchwell, "will be the one to forfeit his life if we fail."

So they remained at the court and became great favorites with the king, who began to feel sorry he had imposed sentence of death on the man who was not equal to the task of defending his daughters from the unknown foe. In order to do all he possibly could to make them safe he had an addition built on to the palace in the shape of a big, thick-walled tower. Its only windows were very high up where were two small rooms. In one of these rooms the princesses were to sleep on Christmas Eve, and the other was to be occupied by their guardians.

At last the time came, and the king brought his three daughters to the tower where he kissed them goodnight and they lay down together on a broad, silk-covered couch. As he went away he double-locked the great iron door that led to the rest of the palace. In the adjoining ante-chamber sat the five brothers on a rough bench. They would at once be aware of any intruder, for a lamp was left burning in the apartment where the princesses were sleeping, and the door between the two rooms was wide open.

It had been a day of merrymaking with a feast and a ball in the evening, and the brothers were more than commonly tired. Soon the four younger ones were fast asleep, but Watchwell fought off the drowsiness, and, wrapping his long cloak about him, rose and stood leaning against the wall. He never took his eyes off from the next room. All was still. The hours passed on. But what was that? He thought he heard a sound of heavy footfalls outside. Then the window of the princesses' room was opened and he saw a monstrous hand stretch in gropingly toward the couch on which the king's daughters lay asleep.

Watchwell touched his brothers. In an instant they were awake and rushed into the adjoining chamber. Holdwell grasped the giant's hand and clung to it long enough to allow Hitwell to give the wrist a terrible blow with his sword. There was a wild cry of pain and baffled anger outside, and the brothers, looking forth, saw a fearful giant striding rapidly away from the palace.

The noise brought the king, who unlocked the iron door, and the brothers immediately started in pursuit of the monster. 'When he observed them following, he increased his speed and was soon out of sight. However, Spywell's keen eyes never failed to detect his footsteps. They continued on the trail till they came to the foot of a mountain so steep that it seemed impossible to scale it. But Climbwell, after glancing about a few moments, made a bold spring to a tiny ledge he had noticed and began to clamber upward. He made not a single false step and kept on to the summit of the cliffs. Then he lowered a silken rope he always carried, and, one after another, drew up his brothers.

Morning had now come, and when the brothers had gone on a little farther they found an enormous cavern, and they could hear someone groaning and grumbling within. "That is the giant," said Watchwell, and he threw a stone and shouted, "Come out of there, you thieving monster!"

The giant looked forth, and when he saw the five young men he scowled with anger, "Say your prayers," said he, "for you shall never leave this mountain alive."

He picked up a great club and dashed out at them, but they eluded him, and as his right hand was wounded he could only use his club clumsily, and the brothers soon killed him.

They thought the cavern might contain some hidden treasure, and they went inside and lighting some torches at a fire that was burning there, began exploring. But it seemed a barren sort of place, and they were about to leave when Spywell observed a small door cunningly let into the rock. They speedily broke it open and went into a second cavern, where to their delight they found the lost princesses Elma and Irene.

The king's daughters were greatly overjoyed and at once made ready to return with their deliverers. Spywell and Climbwell discovered an easier road down the mountain than that by which they had come, and toward evening they all arrived at the palace. The king at once gave orders to have a great banquet prepared to celebrate the restoration of his daughters. When the feast was ready and all who were invited had come, the king rose in the presence of the assembled nobles and other guests and related the brave manner in which the brothers had defended the princesses and slain the giant. He ended by announcing that he had decided to wed his five daughters to the five young men; "and as Watchwell is the eldest of the brothers, it is right and fitting that he should reign over this land when I am gone."

Never was there so magnificent a wedding. The festivities lasted a whole month, and the dresses of the princesses were perfect marvels of gold embroidery and precious stones. The brothers lived long and happily with their wives, greatly beloved and honored by all the people, and when the old king died, Watchwell reigned in his stead.