Then Peterkin said, ‘One day and one morning death will come and old age, and take me.’
And he departed further, and journeyed on eight years and arrived at a palace of copper. And a maiden came forth from that palace and took him and kissed him. She said, ‘I have waited long for thee.’
She took the horse and put him in the stable, and the lad spent the night there. He arose in the morning and placed his saddle on the horse.
Then the maiden began to weep, and asked him, ‘Whither away, Peterkin?’
‘Thither, where there is neither death nor old age.’
Then the maiden said to him, ‘Here is neither death nor old age.’
Then he asked her, ‘How comes it that here is neither death nor old age?’
‘Why, when these mountains are levelled, and these forests, then death will come.’
‘This is no place for me,’ said the lad to her. And he departed further.
Then what said his horse to him? ‘Master, whip me four times, and twice yourself, for you are come to the Plain of Regret. And Regret will seize you and cast you down, horse and all. So spur your horse, escape, and tarry not.’