e, then shall those who want war have their way," he said, and with
this the elder brother had to be content.

Day and night he rode to the duke's castle, and day and night, when
his errand was done, he hastened home again. But the way was long and
a strong wind had blown away the sign-posts which guided travelers,
so, though he stopped neither to sleep in a bed or eat at a table the
whole journey through, the early hours of the day before Christmas
found him still far from the king's palace.

And to make matters worse, in the loneliest part of the road, the good
horse, that had carried him so well, lost a shoe.

"Alack and alas! for the want of a nail
The horseshoe is lost; and my good horse will fail
For the want of the shoe; and I shall be late
For want of a steed; and my message must wait
For want of a bearer; and woe is our plight,
For want of the message the king needs must fight!"[1]

cried the elder brother then; and he bowed his head upon his saddle
and wept, for where to turn for help he did not know.

The sun had not yet risen and no other traveler was on the road, nor
could he see through the dim light of dawn a house or watch-tower
where he might ask aid. But as he wept he heard a distant sound that
was sweeter than music to his ears:

"Cling, clang, cling! Cling, clang, cling!"

[Footnote 1: Adapted from the old proverb, "For want of a nail, the
shoe was lost," etc.]

"Only a blacksmith plays that tune!" he cried; and he urged his horse
on joyfully, calling as he went:

"Smith, smith, if you love country and king, shoe my horse, and shoe
him speedily."

It was not long before he spied the fire of a roadside smithy glaring
out upon him like a great red eye, and when he reached the door of the
shop he found the smith ready and waiting for his task.

Cling, clang, cling! How the iron rang beneath his mighty stroke! And
cling, clang, cling, how the hammer sang as the shoe was pounded into
shape!

By the time the sun was over the hill the horse was shod, and the
rider was in his saddle again.

But the blacksmith would take no money for his work.

"To serve my country and the king is pay enough for me," he said; and
he stood up straight and tall and looked the king's counselor in the
eyes.

And lo! and behold, as the morning light fell on their faces, each saw
that the other was his brother.

"God bless you, brother," and "God speed you, brother," was all that
t