“Oh，look，look，look，”criedJillandpoiurned，andeveryonesaw。Somewayofftothenorth，andagooddealhigherupthaablelandonwhichtheystood，alishadappeared。Thistime，evenmoreobviouslytharavellershadseebefore，theys:smallerwindowsthatmadeohinkdelis，andlargerwindowsthatmadeohihallswithfiresrohandhotsouporjuiokiable。
“Harfang!”exclaimedScrubb。
“That'sallveryuddleglum。“ButwhatIwassaying>
“Oh，shutup，”saidJillcrossly。“Wehaven'tamomenttolose。Don'tyourememberwhattheLadysaidabupsoearly?Wemustgettherei，wemust。We'lldieifwe'reshutoutonahis。”
&islyanight，，”begathetwobothsaid，“eon，”aumblingforwardontheslipperytablelandasquicklyastheirlegswouldcarrythem。TheMarsh-wigglefollowedthem:stilltalking，butnowthattheywereftheirwayintothewindagain，theyothaveheardhimeveniftheyhadwao。Andtheydidn'twahinkingofbathsandbedsandhotdrinks;andtheideaofingttoolateaoutwasalmostunbearable。
Iheirhaste，ittookthemaloocrosstheflattopofthathill。Aheyhadcrossedit，therewerestillseveralledgestoonthefarside。ButatlasttheyreachedthebottomandcouldseewhatHarfangwaslike。
Itstoodonahighdismanytowerswasmehousethanacastle。Obviously，theGesfearednoattack。Theresisidewallquiteclosetotheground—athingnoonewouldhaveinaseriousfortress。Therewereevenoddlittledoorshereaitwouldbequiteeasytogetinandoutofthecastlewithoutghthecourtyard。ThisraisedthespiritsofJillandScrubb。Itmadethewholeplaorefriendlyandlessf。
Atfirsttheheightahecragfrightepreseicedthattherewasaneasierohattheroadwounduptowardit。Itwasaterribleclimb，afterthejourheyhadalreadyhad，andJillnearlygaveup。SdPuddleglumhadtohelpherforthelasthundredyards。
Butiheystoodbeforethecastlegate。Theportcullisaeopen。
&iredyouare，ittakessomeotoagiant'sfrontdoor。InspiteofallhispreviainstHarfang，ituddleglumwhoshowedme。
“Steadypaow，”hesaid。“Don'tlhteeveryoudo。We'vedothingintheworldbyingatall:butnowthatwearehere，we'dbestputaboldfait。”
Withthesewordshestrodeforwardieway，stoodstilluhearchwheretheechowouldhelphisvoidcalledoutasloudashecould。
“Huestswhoseeklodging。”
Andaitingforsomethingtohappeookoffhishataheheavymassofsnowwhichhadgatheredonitswidebrim。
“Isay，”whisperedScrubbtoJill。“Hemaybeawetblahehasplentyofpludcheek。”
Adooropeadeliciousglht，aerappeared。Jillbitherlipsforfearsheshouldscream。Heerfeousgiant;thatistosay，hewasrathertallerthanothiallasatelegraphpole。Hehadbristlyredhair，aleatherjerkiesfastenedalloveritsoastomakeakindofmailshirt，bareknees（veryhairyihieesooopeddownaPuddleglum。
“Andwhatsortofcreaturedoyoucallyourself，”hesaid。
Jillteinbothhands。“Please，”shesaid，shoutingupatthegiant。“TheLadyoftheGreeestheKileGiants，awoSoutherhisMarsh-wiggle（hisname'sPuddleglum）toyourAutum。—Ifit'squitet，ofcourse，”sheadded。
“Oho!”saidthePorter。“That'squiteadifferentstory。ein，littlepeople，ein。You'dbesteintothelodgewhileI'msendingwordtohisMajesty。”Helookedatthewithcuriosity。“Bluefaces，”hesaid。“Ididn'tkhat'tyself。ButIdaresayyoulookquiteoolesfales，theydosay。”
“Ourfalybluewithcold，”saidJill。“We'renotthiscolorreally。”
“Theneiwarm。ein，littleshrimps，”saidthePorter。Theyfollowedhimintothelodge。Andthoughitwasratherterribletohearsuchabigdshutbehiheyfotaboutitassoohethingtheyhadbeenlongingforeversiimelastnight—afire。Andsuchafire!Itlookedasiffourorfivewholetreeswereblazingonit，anditwassohotthey'tgowithinyardsofit。Buttheyallfloppeddownonthebrickfloor，asheycouldbeartheheat，asighsofrelief。
“Now，youngster，”saidthePortertiantwhohadbeensittinginthebackoftheratthevisitorstillitlookedasifhiseyeswouldstartoutofhishead，“runacrosswiththismessagetotheHouse。”AJillhadsaidtohim。Theyiant，afterafinalstare，aguffaw，lefttheroom。
“Ny，”saidthePortertoPuddleglum，“youlookasifyouwantedsup。”HeproducedablackbottleverylikePuddleglum'sown，butabouttwentytimeslarger。“Letmesee，letmesee，”saidthePorter。“I'tgiveyouacuporyou'lldrowmesee。Thissalt-cellarwillbejustthething。YoumentioheHouse。Thesilverwillkeepoingoverhere，andit'snotmyfault。”
&-cellarwasnotverylikenarrowera，aeagolum，whesetitdownonthefloorbesidehim。TheexpectedPuddleglumtorefuseit，distrustileGiahemuttered，“It'sratherlatetobethinkiionsnowthatwe'reihedoorshutbehindus。”Thenhesheliquor。“Smellsallright，”hesaid。“Butthat'snothingtogoby。Bettermakesure，”andtookasip。“Tastesallright，too，”hesaid。“Butitmightdothatatthefirstsip。Howdoesitgooersip。“Ah!”hesaid。“Butisitthesameallthewaydown?”andtookahere'llbesomethingnastyatthebottom，Ishouldn'twonder，”hesaid，ahedrink。Helickedhislipsahe，“This'llbeatest，yousee。IfIcurlup，orburst，orturnintoalizard，orsomething，thenyou'llknownottotakeanythingtheyofferyou。”Butthegiant，whotohearthethingsPuddleglumhadbeensayingunderhisbreath，roaredwithlaughterandsaid，“Why，Froggy，you'reamaita
“Notaman。。。Marsh-wiggle，”repliedPuddleglumiindistifrogeither:Marshwiggle。”
Atthatmomentthedooropehemandtheyiantsaying，“They&#otothethroonce。”
ThestoodupbutPuddleglumremaiingandsaid，“Marsh-wiggle。Marsh-wiggle。VeryrespectableMarsh-wiggle。Respectowiggle。”
“Showthemtheway，young'un，”saidthegiantPorter。“You'dbettercarryFroggy。He'shadadropmorethan'sgoodforhim。”
“Nwithme，”saidPuddleglum。“N。Nwithme。I'marespectabiggle。”
Buttheyounggiantcaughthimupbythewaistahetofollow。Inthisuheycrossedthecourtyard。Puddleglum，heldi'sfist，andvaguelykigtheair，didlylookverylikeafrog。Buttheyhadlittletimetohis，fortheysreatdoorwayofthemaiheirheartsbeatihanusual—aeringalongseveralcorridorsatatrottokeepupwiththegiant'spaselvesblinkiofanenormousrlowedandafireroaredohandbothwerereflethegildingofroofandiantsthantheytstoodoandright，allinmagrobes;andontwothrohefarend，sattwohugeshapesthatappearedtobetheKingandQueen。
Abouttwehethroopped。SdJillmadeanatatabow（girlsarenottaughthowtocurtseyatExperimeheyounggiaPuddleglumdownonthefloor，wherehecollapsedintoasortofsittingposition。Withhislonglimbshelooked，totellthetruth，unonlylikealargespider。