Somehow or other , the king 's strength and skill had departed from him , and soon the Gruagach was the victor . ` Choose your prize , ' said the king , when the game was ended , ` but do not be too hard on me , or ask what I can not give . ' ` The prize I choose , ' answered the Gruagach , ` is that the crop-headed creature should take thy head and thy neck , if thou dost not get for me the Sword of Light that hangs in the house of the king of the oak windows . ' ' I will get it , ' replied the young man bravely ; but as soon as he was out of sight of the Gruagach he pretended no more , and his face grew dark and his steps lagging . ` You have brought nothing with you to-night , ' said the queen , who was standing on the steps awaiting him . She was so beautiful that the king was fain to smile when he looked at her , but then he remembered what had happened , and his heart grew heavy again . ` What is it ? What is the matter ? Tell me thy sorrow that I may bear it with thee , or , it may be , help thee ! ' Then the king told her everything that had befallen him , and she stroked his hair the while . ` That is nothing to grieve about , ' she said when the tale was finished . ` You have the best wife in Erin , and the best horse in Erin . Only do as I bid you , and all will go well . ' And the king suffered himself to be comforted . He was still sleeping when the queen rose and dressed herself , to make everything ready for her husband 's journey ; and the first place she went to was the stable , where she fed and watered the shaggy brown horse and put the saddle on it . Most people thought this saddle was of wood , and did not see the little sparkles of gold and silver that were hidden in it . She strapped it lightly on the horse 's back , and then led it down before the house , where the king waited . ` Good luck to you , and victories in all your battles , ' she said , as she kissed him before he mounted . ' I need not be telling you anything . Take the advice of the horse , and see you obey it . '
So he waved his hand and set out XXXXX his journey , and the wind was not swifter than the brown horse -- no , not even the March wind which raced it and could not catch it .
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