to you and victories in all your battles,' she said, as she
kissed him before he mounted. 'I need not be telling you anything. Take
the advice of the horse, and see you obey it.'

[Illustration: How The QUEEN brings The Shaggy Brown Horse to the KING]

So he waved his hand and set out on his journey, and the wind was not
swifter than the brown horse--no, not even the March wind which raced
it, and could not catch it. But the horse never stopped nor looked
behind, till in the dark of the night he reached the castle of the king
of the oak windows.

'We are at the end of the journey,' said the horse, 'and you will find
the Sword of Light in the king's own chamber. If it comes to you without
scrape or sound, the token is a good one. At this hour the king is
eating his supper, and the room is empty, so none will see you. The
sword has a knob at the end, and take heed that when you grasp it, you
draw it softly out of its sheath. Now go! I will be under the window!'

Stealthily the young man crept along the passage, pausing now and then
to make sure that no man was following him, and entered the king's
chamber. A strange white line of light told him where the sword was, and
crossing the room on tiptoe, he seized the knob, and drew it slowly out
of the sheath. The king could hardly breathe with excitement lest it
should make some noise and bring all the people in the castle running to
see what was the matter. But the sword slid swiftly and silently along
the case till only the point was left touching it. Then a low sound was
heard, as of the edge of a knife touching a silver plate, and the king
was so startled that he nearly dropped the knob.

'Quick! quick!' cried the horse, and the king scrambled hastily through
the small window, and leapt into the saddle.

'He has heard and he will follow,' said the horse; 'but we have a good
start.' And on they sped, on and on, leaving the winds behind them.

At length the horse slackened its pace. 'Look and see who is behind
you,' it said, and the young man looked.

'I see a swarm of brown horses racing madly after us,' he answered.

'We are swifter than those,' said the horse, and flew on again.

'Look again, O king! Is anyone coming now?'

'A swarm of black horses, and one has a white face, and on that horse a
man is seated. He is the king of the oak windows.'

'That is my brother, and swifter still than I,' said the horse, 'and he
will fly past me with a rush. Then you must