But the bird was too quick for him , and , flying behind his back , begged the giant to have patience , as her death would be of no use to him . ` That is true , ' answered the giant ; ` but I am not so foolish as to give you that crown for nothing . Let me think what I will have in exchange ! ' And he scratched his huge head for several minutes , for giants ' minds always move slowly . ` Ah , yes , that will do ! ' exclaimed the giant at last , his face brightening . ` You shall have the crown if you will bring me a collar of blue stones from the Arch of St. Martin , in the Great City . ' Now when the parrot had been a girl she had often heard of this wonderful arch and the precious stones and marbles that had been let into it . It sounded as if it would be a very hard thing to get them away from the building of which they formed a part , but all had gone well with her so far , and at any rate she could but try . So she bowed to the giant , and made her way back to the window where the giant could not see her . Then she called quickly : ` Eagle , come to me ! ' Before she had even reached the tree she felt herself borne up on strong wings ready to carry her to the clouds if she wished to go there , and seeming a mere speck in the sky , she was swept along till she beheld the Arch of St. Martin far below , with the rays of the sun shining on it . Then she swooped down , and , hiding herself behind a buttress so that she could not be detected from below , she set herself to dig out the nearest blue stones with her beak . It was even harder work than she had expected ; but at last it was done , and hope arose in her heart . She next drew out a piece of string that she had found hanging from a tree , and sitting down to rest strung the stones together . When the necklace was finished she hung it round her neck , and called : ` Parrot , come to me ! ' And a little later the pink and grey parrot stood before the giant . ` Here is the necklace you asked for , ' said the parrot . And the eyes of the giant glistened as he took the heap of blue stones in his hand . But for all that he was not minded to give up the crown .
` They are hardly as blue as I expected , ' he grumbled , though the parrot knew as well as he did that he was not speaking the truth ; ` so you must bring me something else in exchange for the XXXXX you covet so much .
arch clouds collar crown face giants hope stones use work