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forest on every side that I think I shall be really afraid；' said the
youth。
‘That is all the wild beasts in the forest；' said Dapplegrim；
‘they are sent out to stop us。 But just throw out the twelve
carcasses of the oxen； and they will be so much occupied with them that
they will quite forget us。' So the youth threw out the carcasses of
the oxen； and then all the wild beasts in the forest； both bears and
wolves； and lions； and grim beasts of all kinds； came。 But when
they caught sight of the carcasses of the oxen they began to fight
for them till the blood flowed； and they entirely forgot Dapplegrim
and the youth。
So the youth rode onwards again； and many and many were the new scenes
they saw； for travelling on Dapplegrim's back was not travelling slowly；
as may be imagined； and then Dapplegrim neighed。
‘Do you hear anything？ he said。
‘Yes； I heard something like a foal neighing quite plainly
a long； long way off；' answered the youth。
‘That's a full…grown colt；' said Dapplegrim； ‘if you hear it so
plainly when it is so far away from us。'
So they travelled onwards a long time； and saw one new scene
after another once more。 Then Dapplegrim neighed again。
‘Do you hear anything now？' said he。
‘Yes； now I heard it quite distinctly； and it neighed like a full…
grown horse；' answered the youth。
‘Yes； and you will hear it again very soon；' said Dapplegrim；
‘and then you will hear what a voice it has。' So they travelled on
through many more different kinds of country； and then Dapplegrim
neighed for the third time； but before he could ask the youth
if he heard anything； there was such a neighing on the other side
of the heath that the youth thought that hills and rocks would be
rent in pieces。
‘Now he is here！' said Dapplegrim。 ‘Be quick； and fling over
me the ox…hides that have the spikes in them； throw the twelve
tons of tar over the field； and climb up into that great spruce fir
tree。 When he comes； fire will spurt out of both his nostrils； and
then the tar will catch fire。 Now mark what I sayif the flame
ascends I conquer； and if it sinks I fail； but if you see that I am
winning； fling the bridle； which you must take off me； over his
head； and then he will become quite gentle。'
Just as the youth had flung all the hides with the spikes over
Dapplegrim； and the tar over the field； and had got safely up into
the spruce fir； a horse came with flame spouting from his nostrils；
and the tar caught fire in a moment； and Dapplegrim and the
horse began to fight until the stones leapt up to the sky。 They
bit； and they fought with their fore legs and their hind legs； and
sometimes the youth looked at them。 and sometimes he looked
at the tar； but at last the flames began to rise； for wheresoever
the strange horse bit or wheresoever he kicked he hit upon
the spikes in the hides； and at length he had to yield。 When
the youth saw that； he was not long in getting down from the tree
and flinging the bridle over the horse's head； and then he became
so tame that he might have been led by a thin string。
This horse was dappled too； and so like Dapplegrim that no
one could distinguish the one from the other。 The youth seated
himself on the dappled horse which he had captured； and rode
home again to the King's palace； and Dapplegrim ran loose by his
side。 When he got there； the King was standing outside in the
courtyard。
‘Can you tell me which is the horse I have caught； and which
is the one I had before？' said the youth。 ‘If you can't； I think
your daughter is mine。'
The King went and looked at both the dappled horses； he
looked high and he looked low； he looked before and he looked
behind； but there was not a hair's difference between the two。
‘No；' said the King； ‘that I cannot tell thee； and as thou hast
procured such a splendid bridal horse for my daughter thou shalt
have her； but first we must have one more trial； just to see if thou
art fated to have her。 She shall hide herself twice； and then thou
shalt hide thyself twice。 If thou canst find her each time that
she hides herself； and if she cannot find thee in thy hiding…places；
then it is fated； and thou shalt have the Princess。'
‘That； too； was not in our bargain；' said the youth。 ‘But we will
make this trial since it must be so。'
So the King's daughter was to hide herself first。
Then she changed herself into a duck； and lay swimming in a
lake that was just outside the palace。 But the youth went down
into the stable and asked Dapplegrim what she had done with herself。
‘Oh； all that you have to do is to take your gun； and go down to
the water and aim at the duck which is swimming about there；
and she will soon discover herself；' said Dapplegrim。
The youth snatched up his gun and ran to the lake。 ‘I will
just have a shot at that duck；' said he； and began to aim at it。
‘Oh； no； dear friend； don't shoot！ It is I；' said the Princess。
So he had found her once。
The second time the Princess changed herself into a loaf； and
laid herself on the table among four other loaves； and she was so
like the other loaves that no one could see any difference between
them。
But the youth again went down to the stable to Dapplegrim；
and told him that the Princess had hidden herself again； and that
he had not the least idea what had become of her。
‘Oh； just take a very large bread…knife； sharpen it； and pretend
that you are going to cut straight through the third of the four
loaves which are lying on the kitchen table in the King's palace
count them from right to leftand you will soon find her；' said
Dapplegrim。
So the youth went up to the kitchen； and began to sharpen the
largest bread…knife that he could find； then he caught hold of the
third loaf on the left…hand side； and put the knife to it as if he
meant to cut it straight in two。 ‘I will have a bit of this bread
for myself；' said he。
‘No； dear friend； don't cut； it is I！' said the Princess again；
so he had found her the second time。
And now it was his turn to go and hide himself； but Dapplegrim
had given him such good instructions that it was not easy to find
him。 First he turned himself into a horse…fly； and hid himself in
Dapplegrim's left nostril。 The Princess went poking about and
searching everywhere； high and low； and wanted to go into
Dapplegrim's stall too； but he began to bite and kick about so
that she was afraid to go there； and could not find the youth。
‘Well；' said she； ‘as I am unable to find you； you must show
yourself； ‘whereupon the youth immediately appeared standing there
on the stable floor。
Dapplegrim told him what he was to do the second time； and
he turned himself into a lump of earth； and stuck himself between
the hoof and the shoe on Dapplegrim's left fore foot。 Once more
the King's daughter went and sought everywhere； inside and outside；
until at last she came into the stable； and want