George Webbe Dasent

“ Then the lad thought this all wrong, so he changed them about, and put the hay at his head. Then said the horse,—
"Since you are so good at heart as to let me have some food, I'll set you free, that I will. For if the Troll comes back and finds you here, he'll kill you outright. But now you must go up to the room which lies just over this, and take a coat of mail out of those that hang there; and mind, whatever you do, don't take any of the bright ones, but the most rusty of all you see, that's the one to take; and sword and saddle you must choose for yourself just in the same way." ”

“ Oh yes! he could do that, and as for the sword, he brandished it like a feather.
"Now saddle me," said the Horse, "and put on the coat of mail, and then take the bramble-bush rod, and the stone, and the pitcher of water, and the pot of ointment, and then we'll be off as fast as we can."
So when the lad had got on the horse, off they went at such a rate, he couldn't at all tell how they went. But when he had ridden awhile, the Horse said,
"I think I hear a noise; look round! can you see anything?"
"Yes; there are ever so many coming after us, at least a score," said the lad. ”

“ So he got the Princess to wife; but when he went down into the stable where his horse was on the day the wedding was to be, there it stood so dull and heavy, and hung its ears down, and wouldn't eat its corn. So when the young King—for he was now a king, and had got half the kingdom—spoke to him and asked what ailed him, the Horse said,—
"Now I have helped you on, and now I won't live any longer. So just take the sword, and cut my head off."
"No, I'll do nothing of the kind," said the young King; "but you shall have all you want, and rest all your life." ”