umbling, and then an
earthquake, which was even worse than that on the former St. John's
night, and when the youth heard it he was terrified, and went off,
running as if for a wager.

The year after, it was Cinderlad's turn, but when he made ready to go
the others laughed at him, and mocked him. "Well, you are just the right
one to watch the hay, you who have never learned anything but how to sit
among the ashes and bake yourself!" said they. Cinderlad, however, did
not trouble himself about what they said, but when evening drew near
rambled away to the outlying field. When he got there he went into the
barn and lay down, but in about an hour's time the rumbling and creaking
began, and it was frightful to hear it. "Well, if it gets no worse than
that, I can manage to stand it," thought Cinderlad. In a little time
the creaking began again, and the earth quaked so that all the hay flew
about the boy. "Oh! if it gets no worse than that I can manage to stand
it," thought Cinderlad. But then came a third rumbling, and a third
earthquake, so violent that the boy thought the walls and roof had
fallen down, but when that was over everything suddenly grew as still
as death around him. "I am pretty sure that it will come again," thought
Cinderlad; but no, it did not. Everything was quiet, and everything
stayed quiet, and when he had lain still a short time he heard something
that sounded as if a horse were standing chewing just outside the barn
door. He stole away to the door, which was ajar, to see what was there,
and a horse was standing eating. It was so big, and fat, and fine a
horse that Cinderlad had never seen one like it before, and a saddle
and bridle lay upon it, and a complete suit of armor for a knight, and
everything was of copper, and so bright that it shone again. "Ha, ha! it
is thou who eatest up our hay then," thought the boy; "but I will stop
that." So he made haste, and took out his steel for striking fire, and
threw it over the horse, and then it had no power to stir from the spot,
and became so tame that the boy could do what he liked with it. So he
mounted it and rode away to a place which no one knew of but himself,
and there he tied it up. When he went home again his brothers laughed
and asked how he had got on.

"You didn't lie long in the barn, if even you have been so far as the
field!" said they.

"I lay in the barn till the sun rose, but I saw nothing and heard
nothing, not I," said the boy. "God k