so brave that he hesitated
not a minute. Swift as a hare he hastened to the palace, and at daybreak
he blew the mighty horn that announced the coming of one who would seek
for the amulet. The king groaned when he saw him, sure that it would be
a vain quest for such a little fellow. The truth was that the court
philosopher feared the amulet had been stolen by the Ogre of Ogre
Castle, but no one dared to mention the fact, much less to ask the Ogre
to return it. The princess, however, immediately sat up and took notice,
charmed by the brave light in Robin's eyes and his merry smile.

Robin asked to be taken up into the highest tower of the palace, and
there, looking leagues and leagues away to Ogre Castle, he saw with his
Eagle sight the amulet, glowing like sunlight imprisoned in a ruby.

The Ogre was turning it over and over in his hand, muttering to himself,
in the stupid way ogres always have: "It must be a nut, for I can see
something good inside." Robin could not hear him, but he was sure, by
the help of the Owl's wisdom, that it was the amulet.

[Illustration: "AT DAYBREAK ROBIN BLEW THE MIGHTY HORN"]

In a thrice--that means while you count three--Robin was speeding away
with the Hare's swiftness toward Ogre Castle, and in a few minutes he
was demanding the amulet from the Ogre.

Now usually the Ogre was not at all a disagreeable fellow, and the Owl's
wisdom would have easily sufficed to enable Robin to secure the amulet
without trouble, but he had just tried to crack the amulet with his
teeth. It broke off the very best tooth he had in his head, and his poor
jaws ached so that he was in a very bad temper. He turned fiercely, and
for a few minutes Robin needed all the strength the Lion had given him.

[Illustration: "THE PRINCESS WAVED HER LILY HAND TO ROBIN"]

After all, the Ogre was one of the pneumatic-tire, hot-water-bag kind of
giants, who flat out if you stick a pin into them and lie perfectly limp
until they are bandaged up and set going once more. That is really a
secret, but Robin knew it by the help of the Owl's wisdom, and he was
not the least little bit afraid.

So Robin managed to get the amulet away without too much difficulty, and
the Hare's swiftness quickly took him back to the palace. When the
princess, who was watching from the tower window, saw the rosy light of
the amulet in the distance, pinkness came back to her cheeks, and her
eyes shone like stars, and she waved her lily hand to R