the carcases of the oxen, began to fight for them; so that their blood flowed in torrents, and they quite forgot the youth and Grimsbork.

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The youth now rode a long long while again; it was many many miles; for it may easily be imagined that Grimsbork did not proceed slowly; he then began to neigh. "Do you hear anything?" said he. "Yes, I hear something like a young colt neighing gently far far away," replied the youth. That is a full grown colt, nevertheless!" said Grimsbork. "The reason you hear it so faintly is, because it is so far away." They then journeyed on a good way, when Grimsbork neighed again. "Do you hear anything?" asked he. "Yes, I hear plainly a neighing as of a fullgrown horse," answered the youth. "Well, now you must hear it once again," said Grimsbork, and then you will say there is no lack of strength in it."

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When they had proceeded some miles, Grimsbork neighed a third time; but before he could ask whether the youth heard anything, there was such a neighing on the heath, that he thought both mountain and hills would have burst asunder. "Now it is here,” cried Grimsbork. “Make haste and throw the ox-hides with the spikes in them over me, throw the tar-barrel over the field, and then climb up into the large pine-tree there. When it comes it will spout fire out of both its nostrils, and that will set fire to the tarbarrels. Then take notice: if the flames ascend, I shall win, but if they fall, I shall lose. If you see that I shall win, then throw the bridle-you must take it off from meover the horse, and it will become gentle." Just as the youth had thrown the hides with the spikes in them over Grimsbork, and the tar-barrel over the field, and had himself climbed up into the pine-tree, there came a horse, from which there issued such a heat that the tar-barrel was set on fire; and it fought with Grimsbork, so that the stones flew up to the very sky. They bit, and struck with their fore feet and with their hind feet; and the youth looked first at them, and then at the tar-barrel, when at length the flames rose, for wherever the other horse bit and kicked, he found only the hide with the spikes, and was, consequently, obliged to yield. When the youth saw this, he lost no time in descending from the tree and throwing the bridle

over it; and it then became so gentle, that one might guide it with a thread. This horse was also cream-coloured, and so like Grimsbork, that no one could have distinguished the one from the other. The youth mounted the horse that he had caught, and rode back to the king's palace, and Grimsbork ran loose by the side of him.

court.

But

When they arrived, the king was standing out in the "Can you now tell me which is the horse I have caught, and which is the one I had before?" said the youth. "If you cannot, then I think your daughter belongs to me. The king went and examined them above and below, before and behind, but there was not a hair's difference between them. "No," replied the king, "I cannot see any difference in them; and since thou hast procured my daughter so beautiful a bridal horse, thou shalt surely have her. one trial we must yet make, and see how that will succeed. She shall hide herself twice, and afterwards thou shalt hide thyself twice; if thou canst find her each time that she is hidden, and she cannot find thee in thy hiding-place, then thou shalt have the princess." Neither is that in our agreement," said the youth; "but we will make the trial since it may not be otherwise." The king's daughter was to be the first to hide herself.

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She transformed herself into a duck, and went and swam in the water that was outside the royal palace. But the youth merely went into the stable and asked Grimsbork what had become of her. "Oh! you have only to take your gun and go down to the pond, and take aim at the duck which is swimming about there," said Grimsbork, “and she will soon come forth again." The youth took his gun accordingly, and went down to the water. I will shoot that duck," said he, levelling his piece. "No, no! dear friend, do not shoot, it is I," said the princess; so he found her that time. The next time the princess changed herself into a loaf, and placed herself on a table among four others, and so alike were all the loaves that no one could see any difference between them. The youth went down into the stable again, and told Grimsbork that the princess had hidden herself a second time, and that he knew not what had become of her. "Oh!" said he, take and sharpen a large bread-knife, and pretend to cut right through the third

loaf on the left hand of the four loaves, which lie on the kitchen table in the royal palace, and then she will soon come forth." The youth went into the kitchen and began to sharpen the largest bread-knife he could find, took hold of the third loaf on the left-hand side, and set the knife against it, as if he would cut it in two. I will have a slice off this loaf," said he. “No, no! dear friend, do not cut, for it is I," said the princess, and so he found her the second time.

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Now it was his turn to hide himself, but Grimsbork had given him such good advice that he was not to be found again. First he turned himself into a hornet and concealed himself in Grimsbork's left nostril; the princess hunted and looked about everywhere, both high and low, and then went into Grimsbork's stall, but he began to bite and kick about so that she durst not venture nearer. As I cannot find you, you must come forth of yourself," said she; and immediately the youth stood before her in the stable. The second time, Grimsbork also told him into what he should turn himself. This time he became a lump of earth, and put himself between the hoof and the shoe of Grimsbork's left fore foot. The king's daughter searched and searched again, both inside and outside of the palace; at last she came into the stable and proceeded to Grimsbork's stall. This time he allowed her to come quite close up to him, and she looked and looked both up and down; but she could not see under Grimsbork's feet, he stood too firm on his legs for her to attempt that; and so she could not find the youth. You must come forth again of yourself," said the princess, "for I cannot find you." And at the same moment the youth stood by her side in the stable.

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"And now you are mine," said he to the princess; "for now you can see," said he to the king, "that so it is to be."

"If it is to be so," replied the king, "then let it be so.

There was great preparation made for the wedding, and the youth mounted Grimsbork, and the king's daughter the other cream-coloured horse, and you may well believe they were not long on the way to the church.

GUDBRAND OF THE MOUNTAIN-SIDE.

THERE was once a man named Gudbrand, who had a farm, which lay on the side of a mountain, whence he was called Gudbrand of the Mountain-side. He and his wife lived in such harmony together, and were so well matched, that whatever the husband did, seemed to the wife so well done, that it could not be done better; let him therefore act as he might, she was equally well pleased.

They owned a plot of ground, and had a hundred dollars lying at the bottom of a chest, and in the stall two fine Cows. One day the woman said to Gudbrand: "I think we might as well drive one of the cows to town, and sell it; we should then have a little pocket-money; for such respectable persons as we are, ought to have a few skillings in hand as well as others. The hundred dollars at the bottom of the chest we had better not touch; but I do not see why we should keep more than one cow; besides, we shall be somewhat the gainers; for instead of two cows, I shall have only one to milk and look after."

These words Gudbrand thought both just and reasonable; so he immediately took the cow and went to the town in order to sell it; but when he came there, he could not find any one who wanted to buy a cow. "Well!" thought Gudbrand, "I can go home again with my cow; I have both stall and collar for her, and it is no farther to go backwards than forwards." So saying, he began wandering home again.

When he had gone a little way, he met a man who had a horse he wished to sell, and Gudbrand thought it better to have a horse than a cow, so he exchanged with the man. Going a little further still, he met a man driving a fat pig before him; and thinking it better to have a fat pig than a horse, he made an exchange with him also. A little further on he met a man with a goat. "A goat," thought he, “is always better to have than a pig;" so he made an exchange with the owner of the goat. He now walked on for an hour, when he met a man with a sheep; with him he exchanged his goat; "for," thought he, "it is always better to have a sheep than a goat." After walking some way again,

meeting a man with a goose, he changed away his sheep for the goose; then going on a long long way, he met a man with a cock, and thought to himself, "It is better to have a cock than a goose," and so gave his goose for the cock. Having walked on till the day was far gone, and beginning to feel hungry, he sold the cock for twelve skillings, and bought some food; "for," thought he, "it is better to support life than to carry back the cock." After this he continued his way homeward till he reached the house of his nearest neighbour, where he called in.

"How have matters gone with you in town?" asked the neighbour.

"Oh!" answered Gudbrand, "but so, so; I cannot boast of my luck, neither can I exactly complain of it." He then began to relate all that he had done from first to last. You'll meet with a warm reception when you get home to your wife," said his neighbour. "God help you, I would not be in your place."

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"I think things might have been much worse," said Gudbrand; "but whether they are good or bad, I have such a gentle wife, that she will never say a word, let me do what I may."

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Yes, that I know," answered his neighbour; not think she will be so gentle in this instance."

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"but I do

"Shall we lay a wager?" said Gudbrand of the Mountainside. I have got a hundred dollars in my chest at home, will you venture the like sum." "Yes, I will," replied the neighbour, and they wagered accordingly, and remained till evening drew on, when they set out together for Gudbrand's house; having agreed that the neighbour should stand outside and listen, while Gudbrand went in to meet his wife.

Good evening," said Gudbrand.

"Good evening," said his wife, "thank God thou art there."

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Yes, there he was. His wife then began asking him how he had fared in the town. So, so," said Gudbrand; "I have not got much to boast of; for when I reached the town there was no one who would buy the cow, so I changed it for a horse." Many thanks for that," said his wife, we are such respectable people, that we ought to ride to church

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