r, he did not
do, but cast him into prison, and his daughter he confined to her room,
not allowing her to go out, either by day or night. Her tears and
prayers for herself and the youth were unheeded by the king, who only
became the more incensed against her.

Some time after this, there arose a war and disturbance in the country,
and the king was obliged to take arms and defend himself against another
king, who threatened to deprive him of his throne. When the youth heard
this he begged the jailer would go to the king for him, and propose to
let him have armor and a sword, and allow him to follow to the war. All
the courtiers laughed when the jailer made known his errand to the king.
They begged he might have some old trumpery for armor, that they might
enjoy the sport of seeing the poor creature in the war. He got the armor
and also an old jade of a horse, which limped on three legs, dragging
the fourth after it.

Thus they all marched forth against the enemy, but they had not gone far
from the royal palace before the youth stuck fast with his old jade in a
swamp. Here he sat beating and calling to the jade, "Hie! wilt thou go?
hie! wilt thou go?" This amused all the others, who laughed and jeered
as they passed. But no sooner were they all gone than, running to the
linden, he put on his own armor and shook the bridle, and immediately
the horse appeared, and said, "Do thou do thy best and I will do mine."

When the youth arrived on the field the battle had already begun, and
the king was hard pressed; but just at that moment the youth put the
enemy to flight. The king and his attendants wondered who it could be
that came to their help; but no one had been near enough to speak to
him, and when the battle was over he was away. When they returned, the
youth was still sitting fast in the swamp, beating and calling to his
three-legged jade. They laughed as they passed, and said, "Only look,
yonder sits the fool yet."

The next day when they marched out the youth was still sitting there,
and they again laughed and jeered at him; but no sooner had they all
passed by than he ran again to the linden, and everything took place as
on the previous day. Every one wondered who the stranger warrior was who
had fought for them; but no one approached him so near that he could
speak to him: of course no one ever imagined that it was the youth.

When they returned in the evening and saw him and his old jade still
sticking fast in t