is horse were
of gleaming gold. At Yvonne's request he accompanied her to her home,
and made arrangements with her kindred for the marriage. To all
inquiries regarding his name and place of abode he returned that these
should be made known on the wedding morning.

Time passed, and on the day appointed the glittering stranger came to
claim his wife. The ceremony over, he swept her into a carriage and
was about to drive away, when her brothers reminded him of his promise
to reveal his identity.

"Where must we go to visit our sister?" they asked.

"Eastward," he replied, "to a palace built of crystal, beyond the Sea
of Darkness."

And with that the pair were gone.

A year elapsed, and the brothers neither saw nor heard anything of
their sister, so that at length they decided to go in search of her.
Yvon would have accompanied them, but they bade him stay at home.

"You are so stupid," they said, "you would be of no use to us."

Eastward they rode, and ever eastward, till at length they found
themselves in the heart of a great forest. Then night came on and they
lost the path. Twice a great noise, like the riot of a tempest, swept
over their heads, leaving them trembling and stricken with panic.

By and by they came upon an old woman tending a great fire, and of her
they inquired how they might reach the abode of their brother-in-law.

"I cannot tell," said the old woman, "but my son may be able to direct
you."

For the third time they heard the noise as of a great wind racing over
the tree-tops.

"Hush!" said the old woman, "it is my son approaching."

He was a huge giant, this son of hers, and when he drew near the fire
he said loudly:

"Oh ho! I smell the blood of a Christian!"

"What!" cried his mother sharply. "Would you eat your pretty cousins,
who have come so far to visit us?"

At that the giant became quite friendly toward his 'cousins,' and when
he learned of their mission even offered to conduct them part of the
way.

Notwithstanding his amiability, however, the brothers spent an anxious
night, and were up betimes on the following morning.

The giant made ready for departure. First of all he bade the old woman
pile fresh fuel on the fire. Then he spread a great black cloth, on
which he made the brothers stand. Finally he strode into the fire, and
when his clothes were consumed the black cloth rose into the air,
bearing the brothers with it. Its going was marked by the sound of
rushing wind