, the sharpest sword, and the swiftest
horse in the world, and the next minute was riding as fast as he could
to the field of battle. The fight had already begun, and the enemy was
getting the best of it, when Paperarello rode up, and in a moment the
fortunes of the day had changed. Right and left this strange knight
laid about him, and his sword pierced the stoutest breast-plate, and the
strongest shield. He was indeed 'a host in himself,' and his foes fled
before him thinking he was only the first of a troop of such warriors,
whom no one could withstand. When the battle was over, the king sent for
him to thank him for his timely help, and to ask what reward he should
give him. 'Nothing but your little finger, your Majesty,' was
his answer; and the king cut off his little finger and gave it to
Paperarello, who bowed and hid it in his surcoat. Then he left the
field, and when the soldiers rode back they found him still sitting in
the road making whole rows of little clay dolls.

The next day the king went out to fight another battle, and again
Paperarello appeared, mounted on his lame horse. As on the day before,
he halted on the road, and sat down to make his clay soldiers; then a
second time he wished himself armour, sword, and a horse, all sharper
and better than those he had previously had, and galloped after the
rest. He was only just in time: the enemy had almost beaten the king's
army back, and men whispered to each other that if the strange knight
did not soon come to their aid, they would be all dead men. Suddenly
someone cried: 'Hold on a little longer, I see him in the distance; and
his armour shines brighter, and his horse runs swifter, than yesterday.'
Then they took fresh heart and fought desperately on till the knight
came up, and threw himself into the thick of the battle. As before, the
enemy gave way before him, and in a few minutes the victory remained
with the king.

The first thing that the victor did was to send for the knight to thank
him for his timely help, and to ask what gift he could bestow on him in
token of gratitude. 'Your Majesty's ear,' answered the knight; and as
the king could not go back from his word, he cut it off and gave it to
him. Paperarello bowed, fastened the ear inside his surcoat and rode
away. In the evening, when they all returned from the battle, there he
was, sitting in the road, making clay dolls.

On the third day the same thing happened, and this time he asked for t