reproached him with his disobedience,
but promised to help him out of this trouble also if he would answer
'yes' to everything they asked him at his trial. The prince willingly
agreed to this, and admitted to the judge that he had meant to steal the
princess, and that he was a master-thief.

When the king learned this he said he would forgive his offence if he
would go to the next kingdom and steal the horse with the four golden
shoes. To this also the prince said 'Yes.'

When he had gone a little way from the castle he met the fox, and they
continued on their journey together. When they reached the end of it the
prince for the third time received three grains of gold from the fox,
with directions to throw one into the guard-chamber, another into the
stable, and the third into the horse's stall. But the fox told him that
above the horse's stall hung a beautiful golden saddle, which he must
not touch, if he did not want to bring himself into new troubles worse
than those he had escaped from, for then the fox could help him no
longer.

The prince promised to be firm this time. He threw the grains of gold in
the proper places, and untied the horse, but with that he caught
sight of the golden saddle, and thought that none but it could suit so
beautiful a horse, especially as it had golden shoes. But just as he
stretched out his hand to take it he received from some invisible being
so hard a blow on the arm that it was made quite numb. This recalled to
him his promise and his danger, so he led out the horse without looking
at the golden saddle again.

The fox was waiting for him outside the castle, and the prince confessed
to him that he had very nearly given way to temptation this time as
well. 'I know that,' said the fox, 'for it was I who struck you over the
arm.'

As they now went on together the prince said that he could not forget
the beautiful princess, and asked the fox whether he did not think that
she ought to ride home to his father's palace on this horse with the
golden shoes. The fox agreed that this would be excellent; if the prince
would now go and carry her off he would give him three grains of gold
for that purpose. The prince was quite ready, and promised to keep
better command of himself this time, and not kiss her.

He got the grains of gold and entered the castle, where he carried off
the princess, set her on the beautiful horse, and held on his way. When
they came near to the castle where the bi