her by her
side. They brought her mother's saddle, splendent with gems and gold,
set it on the great red horse, and lifted her to it. But the saddle
was so big, and the horse so tall, that the child found no comfort in
them.

'Please, King Papa,' she said, 'can I not have my white pony?'

'I did not think of him, little one,' said the king. 'Where is he?'

'In the stable,' answered the maid. 'I found him half starved, the
only horse within the gates, the day after the servants were driven
out. He has been well fed since.'

'Go and fetch him,' said the king.

As the maid appeared with the pony, from a side door came Lina and the
forty-nine, following Curdie.

'I will go with Curdie and the Uglies,' cried the princess; and as soon
as she was mounted she got into the middle of the pack.

So out they set, the strangest force that ever went against an enemy.
The king in silver armour sat stately on his white steed, with the
stones flashing on his helmet; beside him the grim old colonel, armed
in steel, rode his black charger; behind the king, a little to the
right, Curdie walked afoot, his mattock shining in the sun; Lina
followed at his heel; behind her came the wonderful company of Uglies;
in the midst of them rode the gracious little Irene, dressed in blue,
and mounted on the prettiest of white ponies; behind the colonel, a
little to the left, walked the page, armed in a breastplate, headpiece,
and trooper's sword he had found in the palace, all much too big for
him, and carrying a huge brass trumpet which he did his best to blow;
and the king smiled and seemed pleased with his music, although it was
but the grunt of a brazen unrest. Alongside the beasts walked Derba
carrying Barbara--their refuge the mountains, should the cause of the
king be lost; as soon as they were over the river they turned aside to
ascend the Cliff, and there awaited the forging of the day's history.
Then first Curdie saw that the housemaid, whom they had all forgotten,
was following, mounted on the great red horse, and seated in the royal
saddle.

Many were the eyes unfriendly of women that had stared at them from
door and window as they passed through the city; and low laughter and
mockery and evil words from the lips of children had rippled about
their ears; but the men were all gone to welcome the enemy, the
butchers the first, the king's guard the last. And now on the heels of
the king's army rushed out the women and children