As he came on , with his sabre lifted high in the air , Sunlight bounded right over his head , so that the sword fell harmless . And when in her turn the princess prepared to strike , the horse sank upon his knees , so that the blade pierced the genius 's thigh . The fight was so fierce that it seemed as if the earth would give way under them , and for twenty miles round the beasts in the forests fled to their caves for shelter . At last , when her strength was almost gone , the genius lowered his sword for an instant . The princess saw her chance , and , with one swoop of her arm , severed her enemy 's head from his body . Still trembling from the long struggle , she turned away , and went to the meadow where the stud were feeding . By the advice of Sunlight , she took care not to let them see her , and climbed a thick tree , where she could see and hear without being seen herself . Then he neighed , and the mares came galloping up , eager to see the new comer -- all but one horse , who did not like strangers , and thought they were very well as they were . As Sunlight stood his ground , well pleased with the attention paid him , this sulky creature suddenly advanced to the charge , and bit so violently that had it not been for the nine buffalo skins Sunlight 's last moment would have come . When the fight was ended , the buffalo skins were in ribbons , and the beaten animal writhing with pain on the grass . Nothing now remained to be done but to drive the whole stud to the emperor 's court . So the princess came down from the tree and mounted Sunlight , while the stud followed meekly after , the wounded horse bringing up the rear . On reaching the palace , she drove them into a yard , and went to inform the emperor of her arrival . The news was told at once to Iliane , who ran down directly and called them to her one by one , each mare by its name . And at the first sight of her the wounded animal shook itself quickly , and in a moment its wounds were healed , and there was not even a mark on its glossy skin . By this time the emperor , on hearing where she was , joined her in the yard , and at her request ordered the mares to be milked , so that both he and she might bathe in the milk and keep young for ever . But they would suffer no one to come near them , and the princess was commanded to perform this service also . At this , the heart of the girl swelled within her . The hardest tasks were always given to her , and long before the two years were up , she would be worn out and useless . But while these thoughts passed through her mind , a fearful rain fell , such as no man remembered before , and rose till the mares were standing up to their knees in water .
Then XXXXX suddenly it stopped , and , behold !
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