“The Giants and the Herd-boy.” The Yellow Fairy Book, edited by Andrew Lang, London, New York, Bombay: Longmans, Green, and Co., 1906, pp. 75-77.

Tale Summary

There was once a poor orphan who looked after the sheep for a great Lord. One day, he heard crying and went to see who was so upset and found a weeping giant. He promised to reward the boy if he bound his foot, which he had injured. Once the shepherd boy wrapped the wound with his shirt, the giant invited him to a very fun wedding celebration. The boy was given a band to put around his waist to become invisible so the other giants would not see him. The wedding was grand and all played games until midnight, then one of the giants tore up a tree and all of the guests disappeared within it. The giant told the boy to hang on to him, and together they went underground. They arrived at a beautiful hall made of gold, where all ate and drank happily. Once he had his fill, he put a loaf of bread in his pocket, and went with the giant back above ground. The giant disappeared, and the boy returned to his flock. Hungry the next morning, he tried to bite into the loaf but could not make a dent, but everytime he tried, a gold piece fell from his mouth. He happily went to town and bought himself something to eat. He was fond of the Lord’s pretty daughter, and she returned his affection, and so on her birthday he snuck into her room using the invisibility belt and placed a sack of gold pieces by her bed. He did this again for seven nights, and the girl and her parents thought it must have been a good fairy bringing the treasure, and decided to keep watch to see. On the eighth night there was a terrible storm, and the boy realized that he had forgotten his belt as he reached the castle. Not wanting to go back in the rain, he decided to risk it, but was caught after he placed the gold down. He was accused of trying to steal the gold and was banished. The boy went to the nearest town and bought fine clothes, a coach with four horses, and two servants. He drove back to the Lord in this way and he was very astonished. The boy told him about the good luck he had, and was granted the hand of his daughter. The two were married and lived in peace and happiness.