Page:Tales and Legends from the Land of the Tzar.djvu/190

174 The king, who was the owner of the luminous cassowary, agreed to pardon Prince John, and to give him the wonderful bird to boot, on condition of his obtaining for him a certain horse of pure gold, belonging to King Alphonso, who ruled over a kingdom at the World's End.

Prince John promised to do so, and went to the place where he had left the grey wolf.

"You had better have listened to me," said the wolf as he came to meet him; "but you will be wiser next time. Now let us go to King Alphonso at the World's End."

When they at last arrived at King Alphonso's kingdom the grey wolf stopped at the stables where the golden horse was kept.

"Now, prince, listen to me," said the wolf; "go into the stables, you will find the grooms fast asleep, take the golden horse away gently, but on no account attempt to take away the bridle or you will again get into difficulties."

Into the royal stables went Prince John, and was just about to take the beautiful horse from its place, when, as ill-luck would have it, he saw the golden bridle, and no sooner had he taken it up than the grooms awoke, took him prisoner, and in the morning brought him before King Alphonso.

King Alphonso was also good enough to forgive the prince, and agreed to give him the golden horse if he would get him the Princess Helen, the fair daughter of King Cassimir, in exchange.

Prince John hung down his head, and after promising to do his best, went to the place where