He listened while she told her tale , and then said : ` Fetch quickly nine buffalo skins ; smear them well with tar , and lay them on my back . Do not fear ; you will succeed in this also ; but , in the end , the emperor 's desires will be his undoing . ' The buffalo skins were soon got , and the princess started off with Sunlight . The way was long and difficult , but at length they reached the place where the mares were grazing . Here the genius who had carried off Iliane was wandering about , trying to discover how to capture them , all the while believing that Iliane was safe in the palace where he had left her . As soon as she caught sight of him , the princess went up and told him that Iliane had escaped , and that his mother , in her efforts to recapture her , had died of rage . At this news a blind fury took possession of the genius , and he rushed madly upon the princess , who awaited his onslaught with perfect calmness . 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 XXXXX her one by one , each mare by its name .
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