And thus it happened . The man got his two hundred dollars for the horse , and was treated as well , and when they parted from each other it was just as much as he could do to remember to take off the halter . But the buyer had not got far on his way before the youth took his own form again , and when the man reached home Jack was already sitting on the bench by the stove . On the third day all happened in the same way . The youth changed himself into a great black horse , and told his father that if a man came and offered him three hundred dollars , and treated him well and handsomely into the bargain , he was to sell him , but whatsoever he did , or how much soever he drank , he must not forget to take off the halter , or else he himself would never get away from Farmer Weatherbeard as long as he lived . ` No , ' said the man , ' I will not forget . ' When he got to the market , he received the three hundred dollars , but Farmer Weatherbeard treated him so handsomely that he quite forgot to take off the halter ; so Farmer Weatherbeard went away with the horse . When he had got some distance he had to go into an inn to get some more brandy ; so he set a barrel full of red-hot nails under his horse 's nose , and a trough filled with oats beneath its tail , and then he tied the halter fast to a hook and went away into the inn . So the horse stood there stamping , and kicking , and snorting , and rearing , and out came a girl who thought it a sin and a shame to treat a horse so ill . ` Ah , poor creature , what a master you must have to treat you thus ! ' she said , and pushed the halter off the hook so that the horse might turn round and eat the oats . ' I am here ! ' shrieked Farmer Weatherbeard , rushing out of doors . But the horse had already shaken off the halter and flung himself into a goose-pond , where he changed himself into a little fish . Farmer Weatherbeard went after him , and changed himself into a great pike . So Jack turned himself into a dove , and Farmer Weatherbeard turned himself into a hawk , and flew after the dove and struck it . But a Princess was standing at a window in the King 's palace watching the struggle . ` If thou didst but know as much as I know , thou wouldst fly in to me through the window , ' said the Princess to the dove . So the dove came flying in through the window and changed itself into Jack again , and told her all as it had happened . ` Change thyself into a gold ring , and set thyself on my finger , ' said the Princess .
` No , that will not do , ' said Jack , ` XXXXX then Farmer Weatherbeard will make the King fall sick , and there will be no one who can make him well again before Farmer Weatherbeard comes and cures him , and for that he will demand the gold ring . ' '
So as at by for into off on to with