1. Niassa and the Ogre Once upon a time there were two royal children, a little prince called Maran, and a little princess, his siser, called Niassa. And they went out with some other children to play. Now there was a horrible, horrible ogre who had his eye on princess Niassa; he wanted to catch her and keep her, and make her his wife when she was old enough.... (from the 1st chapter).