e?" he cried. "All that I have I owe to you, and shall I in return do
you such an injury?"

But the black horse reminded him that he had promised. "If you do not
do as I ask you," said he, "then I shall know that you are a coward
who dares not keep his word."

The youth could not refuse after that. He was obliged to do as the
horse bade him, but the tears dimmed his eyes so that he could
scarcely see. He drew his sword and cut off the horse's head. At once,
instead of a coal-black steed, a handsome young Prince stood before
him. The lad could scarce believe his eyes. He stared about him,
wondering what had become of the horse.

"There is no need to look for the black steed," said the princely
stranger, "for I am he." He then told the lad that he was the son of
the King of a neighboring country. An enemy had risen up and slain the
King and had given the Prince to the black master who had turned him
into a horse and taken him away to his castle. "You have rescued me
from the enchantment, and now I am free to claim my land again," said
the Prince. He then told the lad that the enemy King whom he had
lately slain in battle was the very one who had taken his kingdom from
him.

Then the Prince went back with the lad to the palace, and was
introduced to the King and the Princess and all the court.

After that the lad and his bride and the Prince rode forth with a
great retinue into the Prince's own country, and his people received
him with joy, and he and the lad lived in the greatest love and
friendship forever after.

THE WISE GIRL

A SERBIAN STORY

There was once a girl who was wiser than the King and all his
councilors; there never was anything like it. Her father was so proud
of her that he boasted about her cleverness at home and abroad. He
could not keep his tongue still about it. One day he was boasting to
one of his neighbors, and he said, "The girl is so clever that not
even the King himself could ask her a question she couldn't answer, or
read her a riddle she couldn't unravel."

Now it so chanced the King was sitting at a window near by, and he
overheard what the girl's father was saying. The next day he sent for
the man to come before him. "I hear you have a daughter who is so
clever that no one in the kingdom can equal her; and is that so?"
asked the King.

Yes, it was no more than the truth. Too much could not be said of her
wit and cle