When Jack had got around the first bend, he put on his wishing-cap and
wished for two bottles of Ioca from the Well of the World's End, and
no sooner had he wished than he had them; and back again he came, and
when the other two came riding up, surprised they were to find Jack
there before them. They said that Jack had not been to the Well of the
World's End and it was no Ioca he had with him, but some water from
the roadside.

Said Jack, "Take care that is not your own story. Just test them; when
the servant comes in, you cut off his head and then cure him with
water from your bottles."

But both refused to do this, for they knew the water in their bottles
could not cure anything, and they defied Jack to do it.

"Very soon I will do it," said Jack.

So when the servant came in with the bottles of Ioca, Jack drew his
sword and whipped his head off him, and in a minute's time, with two
drops from one of his bottles, he had the head on again.

Says they to Hookedy-Crookedy, "What will you take for your two
bottles?"

Says Jack, "I will take the golden balls of your marriage pledge, and
also you shall allow me to write something on your backs."

And they agreed to this. They handed over to Jack the two golden balls
that were their marriage tokens, and they let Jack write on their bare
backs; and what Jack wrote on each of them was, "This is an unlawfully
married man." Then he gave them the bottles of Ioca, and they brought
them to the King, and Jack returned to his garden again.

He did not tell the Yellow Rose where he had been and what doing, only
said he was away on a message for her father. As soon as the King got
the bottles of Ioca, he gave orders that his army should move to
battle the next day.

The next morning early Jack was over to the wood to consult the mare.
He told her what was going to happen that day. Says the mare, "Look in
my left ear, Jack, and see what you will see."

Jack looked in the mare's left ear, and took out of it a grand
soldier's dress. The mare told him to put it on and get on her back.
On he put the dress, and at once Hookedy-Crookedy was transformed into
a very handsome, dashing young fellow, and off went Jack and the mare
and the bear, the three of them, away to the war. Every one saw them,
and they admired Jack very much, he was such a handsome,
clever-looking fellow, and the word was passed on to the King about
the great Prince who was riding to the war--himself, the mare,