218 The Widow's Son. fcfecame handsome and smart, and as red and white as blood and milk, and much stronger than before. "Do you feel any different?" asked the horse. — "Yes/' said the lad. — " Try if you can lift me," said the horse. — Oh, yes, he could do that ; and the sword, why, he swung it about his head as if it were nothing at all. " Now, put the saddle on me," said the horse, " and put the suit of armour on you, and then don't forget the brier-twig, the piece of rock, the water-jug, and the jar of ointment, and then we'll be off." The lad had no sooner got on the horse than off they went at such a rate that he couldn't tell how fast they got on. When he had been riding for some time the horse said to him : " I think I hear a rumbling of something ! Just look round ; can you see any thing ? " —" Yes, there are a great, great many coming after us ; at least a score," said the lad. — " Well, that's the troll," said the horse ; " he is coming after us with his imps." They rode on for a while, until they who were coming after them were close upon them. " Now throw your brier-twig over your shoulder," said the horse, " but throw it a good distance be hind me !" The lad did so, and suddenly a big, close brier-wood grew up behind them. So the lad rode a long, long way, while the troll had to go home and fetch something to hew his way through the wood. But in a while the horse said again : " Look behind I Can you see anything now ? "— " Yes, a great many," said the lad ;" as many as would fillj a church." — " Ah ha ! thafs the troll, —he has tåken more with him this time. Throw the piece of rock you have, but throw it far behind me ! " As soon as the lad had done what the horse had said, a great steep mountain rose behind him, and so the troll had to go home and fetch something to mine his way through the mountain, and while the troll was doing this the lad rode again some distance on his way. But before long the horse asked him to look behind him again, and then the lad saw a crowd like a big anny in bright armour, which glistened in the sun. "Ah ha ! " said the horse, " that's the troll,— now he has got all his imps with him. Take the
