"But if by the peal of the noon bells on the day before Christmas you have neither brought nor sent a message of good will from the duke to me, then shall those who want war have their way," he said, and with this the elder brother had to be content.
Day and night he rode to the duke's castle, and day and night, when his errand was done, he hastened home again. But the way was long and a strong wind had blown away the sign-posts which guided travelers, so, though he stopped neither to sleep in a bed or eat at a table the whole journey through, the early hours of the day before Christmas found him still far from the king's palace.
And to make matters worse, in the loneliest part of the road, the good horse, that had carried him so well, lost a shoe.
"Alack and alas! for the want of a nail
The horseshoe is lost; and my good horse will fail
For the want of the shoe; and I shall be late
For want of a steed; and my message must wait
For want of a bearer; and woe is our plight,
For want of the message the king needs must fight!"[1]
cried the elder brother then; and he bowed his head upon his saddle and wept, for where to turn for help he did not know.
The sun had not yet risen and no other traveler was on the road, nor could he see through the dim light of dawn a house or watch-tower where he might ask aid. But as he wept he heard a distant sound that was sweeter than music to his ears:
"Cling, clang, cling! Cling, clang, cling!"
[1] Adapted from the old proverb, "For want of a nail, the shoe was lost," etc.
"Only a blacksmith plays that tune!" he cried; and he urged his horse on joyfully, calling as he went:
"Smith, smith, if you love country and king, shoe my horse, and shoe him speedily."