you free, that I will. For if the _Troll_ comes back and finds you
here, he'll kill you outright. But now you must go up to the room
which lies just over this, and take a coat of mail out of those that
hang there; and mind, whatever you do, don't take any of the bright
ones, but the most rusty of all you see, that's the one to take; and
sword and saddle you must choose for yourself just in the same way."

So the lad did all that; but it was a heavy load for him to carry them
all down at once.

When he came back, the _Horse_ told him to pull off his clothes and
get into the cauldron which stood and boiled in the other room, and
bathe himself there. "If I do," thought the lad, "I shall look an
awful fright;" but for all that, he did as he was told. So when he had
taken his bath, he became so handsome and sleek, and as red and white
as milk and blood, and much stronger than he had been before.

"Do you feel any change?" asked the _Horse_.

"Yes," said the lad.

"Try and lift me, then," said the _Horse_.

Oh yes! he could do that, and as for the sword, he brandished it like
a feather.

"Now saddle me," said the _Horse_, "and put on the coat of mail, and
then take the bramble-bush rod, and the stone, and the pitcher of
water, and the pot of ointment, and then we'll be off as fast as we
can."

So when the lad had got on the horse, off they went at such a rate, he
couldn't at all tell how they went. But when he had ridden awhile, the
_Horse_ said, "I think I hear a noise; look round! can you see
anything?"

"Yes; there are ever so many coming after us, at least a score," said
the lad.

"Aye, aye, that's the _Troll_ coming," said the _Horse_; "now he's
after us with his pack."

So they rode on a while, until those who followed were close behind
them.

"Now throw your bramble-bush rod behind you, over your shoulder," said
the _Horse_; "but mind you throw it a good way off my back."

So the lad did that, and all at once a close, thick bramblewood grew
up behind them. So the lad rode on a long, long time, while the
_Troll_ and his crew had to go home to fetch something to hew their
way through the wood. But at last the _Horse_ said again:

"Look behind you! can you see anything now?"

"Yes, ever so many," said the lad, "as many as would fill a large
church."

"Aye, aye, that's the _Troll_ and his crew," said the _Horse_; "now
he's got more to back him; but now throw down the stone, and mind you
throw it fa