nd softly," said she. "I will not marry till I get the silver
ring that my grandmother and my mother wore when they were wedded."

"You rider of the black horse," said the Prince Underwaves, "do that.
Let's have that ring here to-morrow at sunrise."

The lad went to the black horse and put his elbow on his crest and
told him how it was.

"There never was a matter set before me harder than this matter which
has now been set in front of me," said the horse, "but there is no
help for it at any rate. Mount me. There is a snow mountain and an ice
mountain and a mountain of fire between us and the winning of that
ring. It is right hard for us to pass them."

Thus they went as they were, and about a mile from the snow mountain
they were in a bad case with cold. As they came near it the lad struck
the horse, and with the bound he gave the black horse was on the top
of the snow mountain; at the next bound he was on the top of the ice
mountain; at the third bound he went through the mountain of fire.
When he had passed the mountains the lad was dragging at the horse's
neck, as though he were about to lose himself. He went on before him
down to a town below.

"Go down," said the black horse, "to a smithy; make an iron spike for
every bone end in me."

Down he went as the horse desired, and he got the spikes made, and
back he came with them.

"Stick them into me," said the horse, "every spike of them in every
bone end that I have."

That he did; he stuck the spikes into the horse.

"There is a loch here," said the horse, "four miles long and four
miles wide, and when I go out into it the loch will take fire and
blaze. If you see the Loch of Fire going out before the sun rises,
expect me, and if not, go your way."

Out went the black horse into the lake, and the lake became flame.
Long was he stretched about the lake, beating his palms and roaring.
Day came, and the loch did not go out.

But at the hour when the sun was rising out of the water the lake went
out.

And the black horse rose in the middle of the water with one single
spike in him, and the ring upon its end.

He came on shore, and down he fell beside the loch.

Then down went the rider. He got the ring, and he dragged the horse
down to the side of a hill. He fell to sheltering him with his arms
about him, and as the sun was rising he got better and better, till
about midday, when he rose on his feet.

"Mount," said the horse, "and let us be gone."