all they were at the borders of the golden forest.

Then Petru began to think of the crowns that he wore, and what they had
cost him.

'After all, what do I want with so many? I will keep the best,' he said
to himself; and taking off first the copper crown and then the silver,
he threw them away.

'Stay!' cried the horse, 'do not throw them away! Perhaps we shall find
them of use. Get down and pick them up.' So Petru got down and picked
them up, and they all went on.

In the evening, when the sun is getting low, and all the midges are
beginning to bite, Peter saw a wide heath stretching before him.

At the same instant the horse stood still of itself.

'What is the matter?' asked Petru.

'I am afraid that something evil will happen to us,' answered the horse.

'But why should it?'

'We are going to enter the kingdom of the goddess Mittwoch,(2) and the
further we ride into it the colder we shall get. But all along the road
there are huge fires, and I dread lest you should stop and warm yourself
at them.'

(2) In German 'Mittwoch,' the feminine form of Mercury.

'And why should I not warm myself?'

'Something fearful will happen to you if you do,' replied the horse
sadly.

'Well, forward!' cried Petru lightly, 'and if I have to bear cold, I
must bear it!'

With every step they went into the kingdom of Mittwoch, the air grew
colder and more icy, till even the marrow in their bones was frozen. But
Petru was no coward; the fight he had gone through had strengthened his
powers of endurance, and he stood the test bravely.

Along the road on each side were great fires, with men standing by them,
who spoke pleasantly to Petru as he went by, and invited him to join
them. The breath froze in his mouth, but he took no notice, only bade
his horse ride on the faster.

How long Petru may have waged battle silently with the cold one cannot
tell, for everybody knows that the kingdom of Mittwoch is not to be
crossed in a day, but he struggled on, though the frozen rocks burst
around, and though his teeth chattered, and even his eyelids were
frozen.

At length they reached the dwelling of Mittwoch herself, and, jumping
from his horse, Petru threw the reins over his horse's neck and entered
the hut.

'Good-day, little mother!' said he.

'Very well, thank you, my frozen friend!'

Petru laughed, and waited for her to speak.

'You have borne yourself bravely,' went on the goddess, tapping him on
the shoulder. 'Now