her with tears; he dried her with finest cloths of silk and
satin.

This is what the lady was doing while they were away. She boiled pitch,
and filled a barrel, and that boiling. Now she went beside it. She
rubbed the healing water to herself. She came out; she went to the
barrel. She gave a jump in and out of the barrel. Three times she went
in and out. She said she would never marry anyone who could not do the
same. The young King came. He went to the barrel. He fell half in, half
out.

He was all boiled and burned. Another gentleman came. He gave a jump
into the barrel. He was burned. He came not out till he died. After that
there was no one going in or out. The barrel was there, and no one at
all was going near it. The lad went up to it. He rubbed the healing
water on himself. He came to the barrel. He jumped in and out three
times. He was watching her. She came out. She said she would never marry
anyone but him.

Came the priest of the pattens, and the clerk of the bells. The pair
were married. The wedding lasted three days and three nights. When it
was over, the lad went to look at the place where the pony was. He never
remembered to go and see the pony during the wedding. He found nothing
but a heap of bones. There were two champions and two girls playing
cards. The lad went crying when he saw the bones of the pony. One of the
girls asked what was the matter with him. He said it was all one to
her--that she cared nothing for his troubles.

"I would like to get knowledge of the cause why you are crying."

"It was my pony who was here. I never remembered to see her during the
wedding. I have nothing now but her bones. I don't know what I shall do
after her. It was she who did all that I accomplished."

The girl went laughing.

"Would you know your pony if you saw her?"

"I would know," said he.

She laid aside the cards. She stood up.

"Isn't that your pony?" said she.

"It is," said he.

"I was the pony," said the girl, "and the two ravens who went in to
drink my blood my two brothers. When the ravens came out, a little bird
went in. You closed the pony. You would not let the little bird out till
they brought the bottle of healing water that was in the eastern world.
They brought the bottle to you. The little bird was my sister. It was my
brothers were the ravens. We were all under enchantments. It is my
sister who is married to you. The enchantments are gone from us since
she was married."

W.