have your sword ready, and
take off the head of the man who sits on him, as he turns and looks at
you. And there is no sword in the world that will cut off his head, save
only that one.'

'I will do it,' replied the king, and he listened with all his might,
till he judged that the white-faced horse was close to him. Then he sat
up very straight and made ready.

The next moment there was a rushing noise as of a mighty tempest, and
the young man caught a glimpse of a face turned toward him. Almost
blindly he struck, not knowing whether he had killed or only wounded the
rider. But the head rolled off, and was caught in the brown horse's
mouth.

'Jump on my brother, the black horse, and go home as fast as you can,
and I will follow as quickly as I may,' cried the brown horse; and
leaping forward the king alighted on the back of the black horse, but so
near the tail that he almost fell off again. But he stretched out his
arm and clutched wildly at the mane and pulled himself into the saddle.

Before the sky was streaked with red he was at home again, and the queen
was sitting waiting till he arrived, for sleep was far from her eyes.
Glad was she to see him enter, but she said little, only took her harp
and sang softly the songs which he loved, till he went to bed, soothed
and happy.

* * * * *

It was broad day when he woke, and he sprang up saying,

'Now I must go to the Gruagach, to find out if the spells he laid on me
are loose.'

'Have a care,' answered the queen, 'for it is not with a smile as on the
other days that he will greet you. Furiously he will meet you, and will
ask you in his wrath if you have got the sword, and you will reply that
you have got it. Next he will want to know how you got it, and to this
you must say that but for the knob you had not got it at all. Then he
will raise his head to look at the knob, and you must stab him in the
mole which is on the right side of his neck; but take heed, for if you
miss the mole with the point of the sword, then my death and your death
are certain. He is brother to the king of the oak windows, and sure will
he be that the king must be dead, or the sword would not be in your
hands.' After that she kissed him, and bade him good speed.

* * * * *

'Didst thou get the sword?' asked the Gruagach, when they met in the
usual place.

'I got the sword.'

'And how didst thou get it?'

'If it had no