hfully, looking after the castle and planning diversions for the
princesses to keep them happy and cheerful.

Then one day he complained of feeling sick, but instead of consulting
the court physician, he said he would go himself to the fields and
hunt some herbs. The princesses laughed at his whim but let him go.

He hurried to the rock where his horse was stabled, knocked three
times, and entered.

"You have come in good time," the horse said. "The king's forces are
weakening and tomorrow will decide the battle. Put on the white suit,
take your sword, and let us be off."

Bayaya kissed his brave little horse and put on his white suit.

That night the king was awake planning the morrow's battle and
sending swift messengers to his daughters instructing them what to do
in case the day went against him.

The next morning as the battle joined an unknown knight suddenly
appeared among the king's forces. He was all in white. He rode a
little horse and he wielded a mighty sword.

He struck right and left among the enemy and he caused such havoc that
the king's forces were instantly heartened. Gathering around the white
knight they fought so valiantly that soon the enemy broke and
scattered and the king won a mighty victory.

The knight himself was slightly wounded on the foot. When the king saw
this he jumped down from his horse, tore off a piece of his own cape,
and bound up the wound. He begged the knight to dismount and come with
him to a tent. But the knight, thanking him, refused, spurred his
horse, and was gone.

The king nearly wept with disappointment that the unknown knight to
whom he was under one more obligation had again ridden off without so
much as leaving his name.

With great rejoicing the king's forces marched home carrying vast
stores of booty.

"Well, steward," said the king to Bayaya, "how have the affairs of
the household gone in my absence?"

Bayaya nodded that everything had gone well, but the princesses
laughed at him and Slavena said:

"I must enter complaint against your steward, for he was disobedient.
He said he was sick but he would not consult the court physician. He
said he wanted to go himself and get some herbs. He went and he was
gone two whole days and when he came back he was sicker than before."

The king looked at Bayaya to see if he was still sick. Bayaya shook
his head and capered about to show the king that he was all right.

When the princesses heard that the unknown