The eldest brother said, “Let me go and find the best wives I can for all three of us; meantime you two will remain here, and take care of our property.” The others gladly agreed to this, as the eldest brother had given proofs enough that he was by far the wisest of the three, and they felt sure that he would be able also to bring this important business to a successful issue. So he made the needful preparations, and started on his journey to look out for three wives for himself and the two younger brothers who remained at home.
After long travelling he arrived at a large city, and resolved to remain there all night, and to continue his journey in the morning.
It happened that the king of that place had just [[185]]arranged a horse-race, and promised his only daughter as the prize, and, with her, ten loads of treasure to the winner.
The very evening the eldest brother arrived he heard the public bell-man proclaiming aloud through the streets, that everyone who had a horse should come to-morrow to the royal field, and whoever should spring first over the ditch should be rewarded with the king’s daughter, and should receive, with her, ten loads of gold.
He listened to the proclamation without saying anything. Next morning he went out into the king’s field in order to see the racing, and found there already innumerable horses of all kinds.
A little later came also the princess, the king’s daughter, and behind her were brought ten loads of treasures.
When he saw the king’s daughter he thought her so exceedingly beautiful that he went instantly a little aside from the crowd to get a better sight of her. He then remembered his wonderful stone. Taking it out he now lifted it to his lips, and immediately the two negroes appeared, and said, “Master, what do you command?” He replied, “Bring me clothes of silk and velvet, together with precious stones, and ten good horses! and bring them as soon as possible!” He had not winked twice before the negroes had placed before him everything which he had demanded. Then he took out the hair, and, striking fire with a flint, held the hair near it. The moment he did this, the same cream-coloured [[186]]horse that had given him the hair stood beside him, and asked, “Master, what do you command?” He answered, “I wish that to-day we leave all the other horses behind us in the race, so that I may gain the king’s daughter. Therefore prepare yourself, and let us go at once, as the other horses are now ready for starting.”
The instant he had spoken these words, the cream-coloured horse stood, pawing the earth, ready and eager to begin the race. The man then mounted it, and off they went. The other racers, having started a few moments before, were already pretty far from the starting-point; in an instant, however, he had reached them, and in another had passed and left them far behind. When he reached the ditch—which was a hundred and five yards deep, and a hundred yards wide—the horse made so great a spring that it touched ground some fifty yards beyond the ditch, broad as it was.
Then he rode back and took the maiden, the king’s daughter, and, placing her behind him on his horse, carried her off, together with the loads of gold. All the people, seeing this, wondered greatly who the strange knight could be who had left all the best horses so far behind in the race, and had won the beautiful princess, with all her rich treasures.
He rode along until he came to a wood pretty far from the city, and there he let his wonderful horse go until he should want him again. He then took off all his beautiful clothes, and put on his old dress, and in this manner went on with the maiden and the loads of gold. [[187]]