‘I want a strong horse to go to the war.’
‘You shall have it, and more besides.’
The Wild Man went back into the wood, and before long a Groom came out, leading a fiery charger with snorting nostrils. Behind him followed a great body of warriors, all in armour, and their swords gleaming in the sun. The youth handed over his three-legged steed to the Groom, mounted the other, and rode away at the head of the troop.
When he approached the battle-field a great many of the King’s men had already fallen, and before long the rest must have given in. Then the youth, at the head of his iron troop, charged, and bore down the enemy like a mighty wind, smiting everything which came in their way. They tried to fly, but the youth fell upon them, and did not stop while one remained alive.
Instead of joining the King, he led his troop straight back to the wood and called Iron Hans again.
‘What do you want?’ asked the Wild Man.
‘Take back your charger and your troop, and give me back my three-legged steed.’
His request was granted, and he rode his three-legged steed home.
When the King returned to the castle his daughter met him and congratulated him on his victory.
‘It was not I who won it,’ he said; ‘but a strange Knight, who came to my assistance with his troop.’ His daughter asked who the strange Knight was, but the King did not know, and said, ‘He pursued the enemy, and I have not seen him since.’
She asked the Gardener about his assistant, but he laughed, and said, ‘He has just come home on his three-legged horse, and the others made fun of him, and said, “Here comes our hobbler back again,” and asked which hedge he had been sleeping under. He answered, “I did my best, and without me things would have gone badly.” Then they laughed at him more than ever.’
