When the giant came to the door, the doorway stretched itself for him
to pass through. He found Fairy Skill standing in the midst of the
workers; and when he had given her the good woman's love, she received
him kindly. Then she set him to work, bidding him sort a heap of
tangled threads that lay in a corner like a great bunch of
bright-colored flowers.
This was hard work for the giant's clumsy fingers, but he was very
patient about it. The threads would break, and he got some of them
into knots; but when Fairy Skill saw his work, she said:
"Very good for to-day;" and touching the threads with her wand, she
changed them into a tangled heap again. The next day the giant tried
again, and after that again, until every thread lay unbroken and
untangled.
Then Fairy Skill said, "Well done," and led him to a loom and showed
him how to weave.
This was harder work than the other had been; but Giant Energy was
patient, although many times before his strip of carpet was woven the
fairy touched it with her wand, and he had to begin over.
At last it was finished, and the giant thought it was the most
beautiful carpet in the world.
Fairy Skill took him next to the potter's wheel, where cups and
saucers were made out of clay; and the giant learned to be steady, to
shape the cup as the wheel whirled round, and to take heed of his
thumb, lest it slip.
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