He took her up on the saddle before him and turned his horse’s head and rode away from the castle even faster than he had ridden toward it, and they had journeyed far before the dragon returned home.
As soon as he reached there and found the princess gone he knew what had happened. Then he said to his horse, “Shall we follow after them now, or shall we eat and drink first?”
“We have no time for meat or drink now,” answered the black horse, “and it will be all I can do to overtake them, for now they ride my own brother.”
Then the dragon leaped upon his horse, and off they flew, faster than the wind, in pursuit of the prince and princess. They went on and on, and after a while the dragon came within sight of them, for though the white horse was swifter than the wind, too, he carried double and so could not go at his highest speed.
Nearer and nearer came the dragon and his steed, and the prince began to beg and plead with his steed to go faster, but it answered, “There is no need of that, master; only leave everything to me and all will go well.”
Then the black horse came near enough to speak, and he called after the other, “For mercy’s sake go slower, brother. I shall kill myself running after you.”
“There is no need of your doing that,” answered the white horse. “Throw up your heels and rid yourself of the monster that sits upon your back. You have been his servant too long as it is.”
When the black horse heard this he began to plunge and kick up his heels so that the dragon was thrown from his back and falling upon a rock he was broken to pieces.
But the black horse came up to his brother, and the prince set the princess upon his back, while he himself kept the white horse to ride. So they all journeyed back to the pleasure palace together, and when the six sisters saw them there were great rejoicings, and they all lived together happily in the palace forever after.
