She answered that he was then in the realms of the setting sun, that he took delight in those regions, but would soon be home, for it was the hour of his coming. But it was easy to know it beforehand, for when he was forty miles distant, he was in the habit of hurling home a forty-hundred-pound club before him; and wherever it fell a fountain gushed out of the earth.
Mirko and the princess went on the balcony to wait for Doghead; all at once (the Lord save us!) the sky grew dark, and a forty-hundred pound club fell in the court-yard. A stream rushed out of the earth as if from a force-pump.
Mirko ran down straightway to see how much his strength had increased. He picked up the club, whirled it around his head, and let it go so that it came down just in front of Doghead. Doghead’s horse stumbled over the club, whereupon his master flew into a rage, and cried out: “May the wolves and dogs devour thee! Seven hundred years have I ridden thee, and to this day thou hast never stumbled. Why begin now?”
“Oh, dear master,” answered the magic steed, “there is mighty trouble at home; for the club which thou hast sent ahead has been hurled back, and I stumbled over it.”
“Oh, that’s nothing!” said Doghead. “Seven hundred years ago I saw in a dream that I should have a struggle with Mirko, the king’s son, some day. He is now at the castle; but what is he to me? There is more strength in my little finger than in his whole body.” With that Doghead sped homeward and was soon there.
Mirko, the king’s son, was waiting in the court-yard, and when Doghead saw the prince he made straight towards him and said: “Mirko, I know that thou art waiting for me. Well, here I am; what dost thou wish, that we should fight with swords or wrestle?”
“I care not,” answered Mirko; “any way that may please thee.”
“Well, let us try it first with swords,” said Doghead.
He got off his horse; they stood face to face, and both commanded: “Sword out of the sheath.”
The swords sprang out in fighting, and so cut above the heads of the two that the whole place was rattling with their blows. Sparks flew so thickly from their fierce slashing that fire covered the ground, and it was impossible to stand long in one place.