It was at this very moment that Bellah , who was skimming the milk in the farm dairy , heard the fairy bell tinkle violently . At the sound she grew pale , for she knew it meant that Houarn was in danger ; and , hastily , changing the rough dress she wore for her work , she left the farm with the magic stick in her hand . Her knees were trembling under her , but she ran as fast as she could to the cross roads , where she drove her stick into the ground , murmuring as she did so a verse her mother had taught her : Little staff of apple-tree , Over the earth and over the sea , Up in the air be guide to me , Everywhere to wander free , and immediately the stick became a smart little horse , with a rosette at each ear and a feather on his forehead . He stood quite still while Bellah scrambled up , then he started off , his pace growing quicker and quicker , till at length the girl could hardly see the trees and houses as they flashed past . But , rapid as the pace was , it was not rapid enough for Bellah , who stooped and said : ` The swallow is less swift than the wind , the wind is less swift than the lightning . But you , my horse , if you love me , must be swifter than them all , for there is a part of my heart that suffers -- the best part of my heart that is in danger . ' And the horse heard her , and galloped like a straw carried along by a tempest till they reached the foot of a rock called the Leap of the Deer . There he stopped , for no horse or mule that ever was born could climb that rock , and Bellah knew it , so she began to sing again : Horse of Leon , given to me , Over the earth and over the sea , Up in the air be guide to me , Everywhere to wander free , and when she had finished , the horse 's fore legs grew shorter and spread into wings , his hind legs became claws , feathers sprouted all over his body , and she sat on the back of a great bird , which bore her to the summit of the rock . Here she found a nest made of clay and lined with dried moss , and in the centre a tiny man , black and wrinkled , who gave a cry of surprise at the sight of Bellah . ` Ah ! you are the pretty girl who was to come and save me ! ' ` To save you ! ' repeated Bellah . ` But who are you , my little friend ? ' ' I am the husband of the Groac ' h of the isle of Lok , and it is owing to her that I am here . ' ` But what are you doing in this nest ? ' ' I am sitting on six eggs of stone , and I shall not be set free till they are hatched . ' On hearing this Bellah began to laugh . ` Poor little cock ! ' she said , ` and how am I to deliver you ? '
` By delivering Houarn , who is XXXXX the power of the Groac ` h. ' ` Ah !
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