ft as he
rode away across the hills; and he had a golden saddle and a golden
bridle, which gleamed and glistened a long way off.

"Now we're off to the king's palace," said Dapplegrim--that was his
name; "and mind you ask the king for a good stable and fodder for me."

Yes, the lad said he would mind; he'd be sure not to forget; and when
he rode off from his brothers' house, you may be sure it wasn't long,
with such a horse under him, before he got to the king's palace.

When he came there the king was standing on the steps, and stared and
stared at the man who came riding along.

"Nay, nay," said he, "such a man and such a horse I never saw in all
my life."

But when the lad asked if he could resume his place in the king's
household, the king was so glad he was ready to jump and dance as he
stood on the steps.

There was no reason, the king said, why the lad should not come back.

"Ay," said the lad, "but I must have good stable-room for my horse,
and fodder that one can trust."

Yes, he should have meadow-hay and oats, as much as his horse could
cram, and all the other knights had to lead their steeds out of the
stable that Dapplegrim might stand alone, and have it all to himself.

But it wasn't long before all the others in the king's household began
to be jealous of the lad, and there was no end to the bad things they
would have done to him, if they had only dared. At last they thought
of telling the king that he had been boasting he was man enough to set
the king's daughter free--whom the Troll had long since carried away
into the hill--if he only chose. The king called the lad before him,
and said he had heard what the lad had said, so now he must go and do
it. If he succeeded, the king's daughter and half the kingdom should
be his, and that promise would be faithfully kept; if he didn't, he
should be killed.

The lad kept on saying he never said any such thing; but it was no
good, the king wouldn't even listen to him; and so the end of it was
he was forced to say he'd go and try.

So he went into the stable, down in the mouth and heavy-hearted, and
then Dapplegrim asked him at once why he was in such doleful dumps.

Then the lad told him all, and how he couldn't tell which way to turn,
and he said:

"As for setting the Princess free, that's downright nonsense."

"Oh, but it might be done, perhaps," said Dapplegrim. "But you must
first have me well shod. You must go and ask for ten pounds of iron