great horse, was hauling the largest stone he ever hauled when he saw a
little mare come galloping toward him. The great horse had never seen so
pretty a little mare and he looked at her with surprise.

"Svadilfare, slave," said the little mare to him and went frisking past.

Svadilfare put down the stone he was hauling and called to the little
mare. She came back to him. "Why do you call me 'Svadilfare, slave'?"
said the great horse.

"Because you have to work night and day for your master," said the
little mare. "He keeps you working, working, working, and never lets you
enjoy yourself. You dare not leave that stone down and come and play
with me."

"Who told you I dare not do it?" said Svadilfare.

"I know you daren't do it," said the little mare, and she kicked up her
heels and ran across the moonlit meadow.

Now the truth is that Svadilfare was tired of working day and night.
When he saw the little mare go galloping off he became suddenly
discontented. He left the stone he was hauling on the ground. He looked
round and he saw the little mare looking back at him. He galloped after
her.

He did not catch up on the little mare. She went on swiftly before him.
On she went over the moonlit meadow, turning and looking back now and
again at the great Svadilfare, who came heavily after her. Down the
mountainside the mare went, and Svadilfare, who now rejoiced in his
liberty and in the freshness of the wind and in the smell of the
flowers, still followed her. With the morning's light they came near a
cave and the little mare went into it. They went through the cave. Then
Svadilfare caught up on the little mare and the two went wandering
together, the little mare telling Svadilfare stories of the Dwarfs and
the Elves.

They came to a grove and they stayed together in it, the little mare
playing so nicely with him that the great horse forgot all about time
passing. And while they were in the grove the Giant was going up and
down, searching for his great horse.

He had come to the wall in the morning, expecting to put the stone over
the gateway and so finish his work. But the stone that was to be lifted
up was not near him. He called for Svadilfare, but his great horse did
not come. He went to search for him, and he searched all down the
mountainside and he searched as far across the earth as the realm of the
Giants. But he did not find Svadilfare.

The Gods saw the first day of Summer come and the gateway of the