The fight had already begun , and the enemy was getting the best of it , when Paperarello rode up , and in a moment the fortunes of the day had changed . Right and left this strange knight laid about him , and his sword pierced the stoutest breast-plate , and the strongest shield . He was indeed ' a host in himself , ' and his foes fled before him thinking he was only the first of a troop of such warriors , whom no one could withstand . When the battle was over , the king sent for him to thank him for his timely help , and to ask what reward he should give him . ` Nothing but your little finger , your Majesty , ' was his answer ; and the king cut off his little finger and gave it to Paperarello , who bowed and hid it in his surcoat . Then he left the field , and when the soldiers rode back they found him still sitting in the road making whole rows of little clay dolls . The next day the king went out to fight another battle , and again Paperarello appeared , mounted on his lame horse . As on the day before , he halted on the road , and sat down to make his clay soldiers ; then a second time he wished himself armour , sword , and a horse , all sharper and better than those he had previously had , and galloped after the rest . He was only just in time : the enemy had almost beaten the king 's army back , and men whispered to each other that if the strange knight did not soon come to their aid , they would be all dead men . Suddenly someone cried : ` Hold on a little longer , I see him in the distance ; and his armour shines brighter , and his horse runs swifter , than yesterday . ' Then they took fresh heart and fought desperately on till the knight came up , and threw himself into the thick of the battle . As before , the enemy gave way before him , and in a few minutes the victory remained with the king . The first thing that the victor did was to send for the knight to thank him for his timely help , and to ask what gift he could bestow on him in token of gratitude . ` Your Majesty 's ear , ' answered the knight ; and as the king could not go back from his word , he cut it off and gave it to him . Paperarello bowed , fastened the ear inside his surcoat and rode away . In the evening , when they all returned from the battle , there he was , sitting in the road , making clay dolls . On the third day the same thing happened , and this time he asked for the king 's nose as the reward of his aid . Now , to lose one 's nose , is worse even than losing one 's ear or one 's finger , and the king hesitated as to whether he should comply . However , he had always prided himself on being an honourable man , so he cut off his nose , and handed it to Paperarello . Paperarello bowed , put the nose in his surcoat , and rode away .
In the evening , when the king returned XXXXX the battle , he found Paperarello sitting in the road making clay dolls .
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