And the horse said to him : ` Saddle and bridle me , and then go into the next room and you will find a suit of armour and a sword . Put them on , and we will ride forth together to battle . ' And the prince did as he was told ; and when he had mounted the horse his armour glittered in the sun , and he looked so brave and handsome , that no one would have recognised him as the gardener who swept away the dead leaves from the paths . The horse bore him away at a great pace , and when they reached the battle-field they saw that the king was losing the day , so many of his warriors had been slain . But when the warrior on his black charger and in glittering armour appeared on the scene , hewing right and left with his sword , the enemy were dismayed and fled in all directions , leaving the king master of the field . Then the king and his two sons-in-law , when they saw their deliverer , shouted , and all that was left of the army joined in the cry : ' A god has come to our rescue ! ' And they would have surrounded him , but his black horse rose in the air and bore him out of their sight . Soon after this , part of the country rose in rebellion against the king , and once more he and his two sons-in-law had to fare forth to battle . And the son-in-law who was disguised as a gardener wanted to fight too . So he came to the king and said : ` Dear father , let me ride with you to fight your enemies . ' ' I do n't want a blockhead like you to fight for me , ' answered the king . ` Besides , I have n't got a horse fit for you . But see , there is a carter on the road carting hay , you may take his horse . ' So the prince took the carter 's horse , but the poor beast was old and tired , and after it had gone a few yards it stumbled and fell . So the prince returned sadly to the garden and watched the king ride forth at the head of the army accompanied by his two sons-in-law . When they were out of sight the prince betook himself to the vaulted chamber by the brook-side , and having taken counsel of the faithful black horse , he put on the glittering suit of armour , and was borne on the back of the horse through the air , to where the battle was being fought . And once more he routed the king 's enemies , hacking to right and left with his sword . And again they all cried : ' A god has come to our rescue ! ' But when they tried to detain him the black horse rose in the air and bore him out of their sight . When the king and his sons-in-law returned home they could talk of nothing but the hero who had fought for them , and all wondered who he could be .
Shortly afterwards the king XXXXX a neighbouring country declared war , and once more the king and his sons-in-law and his subjects had to prepare themselves for battle , and once more the prince begged to ride with them , but the king said he had no horse to spare for him .
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