e earth here with
the halter, and cry, "Come to me, O mare of the mountain witch."'

The prince did as he was bid, and as the hair touched his fingers the
wolf changed back into a mare, with the foal beside her. And when he had
mounted and ridden her home the old woman was on the steps to receive
them, and she set some food before the prince, but led the mare back to
her stable.

'You should have gone among the wolves,' said she, striking her with a
stick.

'So I did,' replied the mare, 'but they are no friends of mine and
betrayed me.'

The old woman made no answer, and left the stable, but the prince was at
the door waiting for her.

'I have served you well,' said he, 'and now for my reward.'

'What I promised that will I perform,' answered she. 'Choose one of
these twelve horses; you can have which you like.'

'Give me, instead, that half-starved creature in the corner,' asked the
prince. 'I prefer him to all those beautiful animals.'

'You can't really mean what you say?' replied the woman.

'Yes, I do,' said the prince, and the old woman was forced to let him
have his way. So he took leave of her, and put the halter round his
horse's neck and led him into the forest, where he rubbed him down till
his skin was shining like gold. Then he mounted, and they flew straight
through the air to the dragon's palace. The empress had been looking for
him night and day, and stole out to meet him, and he swung her on to his
saddle, and the horse flew off again.

Not long after the dragon came home, and when he found the empress was
missing he said to his horse, 'What shall we do? Shall we eat and drink,
or shall we follow the runaways?' and the horse replied, 'Whether you
eat or don't eat, drink or don't drink, follow them or stay at home,
matters nothing now, for you can never, never catch them.'

But the dragon made no reply to the horse's words, but sprang on his
back and set off in chase of the fugitives. And when they saw him coming
they were frightened, and urged the prince's horse faster and faster,
till he said, 'Fear nothing; no harm can happen to us,' and their hearts
grew calm, for they trusted his wisdom.

Soon the dragon's horse was heard panting behind, and he cried out, 'Oh,
my brother, do not go so fast! I shall sink to the earth if I try to
keep up with you.'

And the prince's horse answered, 'Why do you serve a monster like that?
Kick him off, and let him break in pieces on the ground, and come