Page:Researches respecting the Book of Sindibad and Portuguese Folk-Tales.djvu/79

 Rh beloved daughter who is in Moirama,—can you really do so?" To this Peter replied, "I suppose that if the queen says so it is because I can." Peter returned to her room to have a good cry, for she thought that this would be impossible for her to accomplish. But in the midst of her doubts and affliction she turned and said, "Come to my assistance, oh! godfather." Saint Peter instantly stood before her and asked her, "What is the matter now, and why are you grieving so?" The girl told him all the impossible things the queen had told the king she vaunted she could accomplish, all out of spite. To this Saint Peter replied, "Take these, three tubes. Ask to have two horses saddled for your journey, and travel on and on, and where your horses shall stop there you will find the princess waiting for your arrival. On your return to the palace, look back, and you will find that the Moors are chasing you; then it is that you must throw the first tube; and if they continue to pursue you throw the second, and after that the third tube." The girl did as she was instructed to do. She asked the king to let her have two paddle-horses and started off, travelling until she arrived at a certain spot where the horses of their own accord suddenly stopped and refused to go any further; and there she found the princess waiting for her. As she was returning to the palace with the princess she looked behind her, and she saw the Moors in pursuit, and she had hardly seen them than she threw at them the first tube; and immediately a great fog came on. The girl and the princess could see their way, but the Moors could barely see the road and follow them. When they had quitted the land of Moirama the princess, who had been dumb, gave utterance to a short exclamation, saying, "ah!" When they had proceeded further on the girl again looked back and she saw the Moors still in pursuit. She threw to them the second tubing, and athick almost impassable bush grew up. The girl and the princess were able to pass this