rse
went at a surprising pace for an animal that was seventeen years old,
but of course you have guessed before this that he was no ordinary
horse. The years had not touched him at all. His coat was as smooth as
satin and his legs were straight and sound. No matter how far he
traveled he was always as fresh as a fawn.

He carried the prince a great distance until they came in sight of the
towers of a beautiful city. Then the horse left the beaten track and
crossed a field to a big rock.

When they reached the rock, the horse kicked it with his hoof three
times and the rock opened. They rode inside and the prince found
himself in a comfortable stable.

"Now you will leave me here," the horse said, "and go on alone to the
nearby town. You must pretend you are dumb and be careful never to
betray yourself. Present yourself at court and have the king take you
into his service. When you need anything, no matter what it is, come
to the rock, knock three times, and the rock will open to you."

The prince thought to himself: "My horse certainly knows what he's
about, so of course I'll do exactly as he says."

He disguised himself by bandaging one eye and making his face look
pale and sallow. Then he presented himself at court and the king,
pitying his youth and his affliction of dumbness, took him into his
service.

The prince was capable and quick at affairs and it wasn't long before
the king gave over to him the management of the household. His advice
was asked in matters of importance and all day long he hurried about
the castle going from one thing to another. If the king needed a
scribe, there wasn't a cleverer one anywhere than the prince.
Everybody liked him and everybody was soon calling him Bayaya, because
those were the only sounds he made.

The king had three daughters, each more beautiful than the other. The
oldest was called Zdobena, the second Budinka, and the youngest
Slavena.

The prince loved to be with the three girls and as he was supposed to
be dumb and in his disguise was very ugly, the king made no objection
to his spending his days with them. How could the king possibly think
that there was any danger of Bayaya's stealing the heart of one of the
princesses? They liked him, all three of them, and were always taking
him with them wherever they went. He wove garlands for them, spun
golden thread, picked them flowers, and drew them designs of birds
and flowers for their embroidery. He liked them all