When the tale is not about a dragon but a troll, giant, or ogre, the princess is often a captive rather than about to be eaten, as in "The Three Princesses of Whiteland". These princesses are often a vital source of information to their rescuers, telling them how to perform tasks that the captor sets to them, or how to kill the monster, and when she does not know, as in "The Giant Who Had No Heart in His Body", she frequently can pry the information from the giant. Despite the hero's helplessness without this information, the princess is incapable of using the knowledge herself.