And without saying any more he trotted off the way he had come . His tail had scarcely disappeared , when a great noise of crashing branches was heard , and up bounded the horse , his black skin glistening like satin . ` Good-morning , ' he called to the boy as he galloped past , ' I ca n't wait to talk to you now . I have promised the miller to be present at his wedding-feast , and they wo n't sit down till I come . ' ` Stop ! stop ! ' cried the boy after him , and there was something in his voice that made the horse pull up . ` What is the matter ? ' asked he . ` You do n't know what you are doing , ' said the boy . ` If once you go there you will never gallop through these woods any more . You are stronger than many men , but they will catch you and put ropes round you , and you will have to work and to serve them all the days of your life . ' The horse threw back his head at these words , and laughed scornfully . ` Yes , I am stronger than many men , ' answered he , ` and all the ropes in the world would not hold me . Let them bind me as fast as they will , I can always break loose , and return to the forest and freedom . ' And with this proud speech he gave a whisk of his long tail , and galloped away faster than before . But when he reached the miller 's house everything happened as the boy had said . While he was looking at the guests and thinking how much handsomer and stronger he was than any of them , a rope was suddenly flung over his head , and he was thrown down and a bit thrust between his teeth . Then , in spite of his struggles , he was dragged to a stable , and shut up for several days without any food , till his spirit was broken and his coat had lost its gloss . After that he was harnessed to a plough , and had plenty of time to remember all he had lost through not listening to the counsel of the boy .
When the horse had turned a deaf ear to his words the boy wandered idly along , sometimes gathering wild strawberries from a bank , and sometimes plucking wild cherries from a tree , XXXXX he reached a clearing in the middle of the forest .
After as at between in like over till to with