Some of them were old favourites which the
king had ridden in many wars, and they bore the signs of age and of
service. But now they arched their heads, and pawed the ground with
their slender legs as they had been wont to do in days long gone by. The
king's heart beat with delight, but the old groom who had had the care
of them stood crossly by, and eyed the owner of this wonderful creature
with hate and envy. Not a day passed without his bringing some story
against the youth to his master, but the king understood all about the
matter and paid no attention. At last the groom declared that the
young man had boasted that he could find the king's war horse which had
strayed into the forest several years ago, and had not been heard of
since. Now the king had never ceased to mourn for his horse, so this
time he listened to the tale which the groom had invented, and sent for
the youth. 'Find me my horse in three days,' said he, 'or it will be the
worse for you.'

The youth was thunderstruck at this command, but he only bowed, and went
off at once to the stable.

'Do not worry yourself,' answered his own horse. 'Ask the king to give
you a hundred oxen, and to let them be killed and cut into small pieces.
Then we will start on our journey, and ride till we reach a certain
river. There a horse will come up to you, but take no notice of him.
Soon another will appear, and this also you must leave alone, but when
the third horse shows itself, throw my bridle over it.'

Everything happened just as the horse had said, and the third horse was
safely bridled. Then the other horse spoke again: 'The magician's raven
will try to eat us as we ride away, but throw it some of the oxen's
flesh, and then I will gallop like the wind, and carry you safe out of
the dragon's clutches.'

So the young man did as he was told, and brought the horse back to the
king.

The old stableman was very jealous, when he heard of it, and wondered
what he could do to injure the youth in the eyes of his royal master.
At last he hit upon a plan, and told the king that the young man had
boasted that he could bring home the king's wife, who had vanished many
months before, without leaving a trace behind her. Then the king bade
the young man come into his presence, and desired him to fetch the queen
home again, as he had boasted he could do. And if he failed, his head
would pay the penalty.

The poor youth's heart stood still as he listened. Find the queen? Bu