Page:The Allies Fairy Book.djvu/178

 Then the king’s son went away to the mountain arid found the old woman, and entered her house saying: “God help you, grandmother!” And she answered: “God help you, too, my son! What do you wish?” “I should like to serve you,” said the king’s son. Then the old woman said: “Well, my son, if you keep my mare safe for three days and three nights I will give you the best horse, and you can choose him yourself; but if you do not keep the mare safe you shall lose your head.”

Then she led him into the courtyard, where all around stakes were ranged. Each of them had on it a man’s head, except one stake, which had no head on it, and shouted incessantly: “Oh, grandmother, give me a head!” The old woman showed all this to the prince, and said: “Look here! All these were heads of those who tried to keep my mare, and they have lost their heads for their pains!”

But the prince was not a bit afraid, so he stayed to serve the old woman. When the evening came he mounted the mare and rode her into the field, and the foal followed. He sat still on her back, having made up his mind not to dismount that he might be sure of her. But before midnight he slumbered a little, and when he awoke he found himself sitting on a rail and holding the bridle in his hand. Then he was greatly alarmed, and went instantly to look about to find the mare, and whilst looking for her he came to a piece of water. When he saw the water he remembered the little fish, and took the scale from the handkerchief and rubbed it a little. Then immediately the little fish appeared and said: “What is the matter, my half-brother?” And he replied: “The mare of the old woman ran away whilst under my charge, and now I do not know where she is!” And the fish answered: “Here she is, turned to a fish, and the foal to a small one. But strike once upon the water with the bridle and cry out: ‘Heigh! mare of the old