I
A blacksmith was shoeing a horse.
"Shoe him quickly, for the king wishes to ride him to battle," said
the groom who had brought him.
"Do you think there will be a battle?" asked the blacksmith.
"Most certainly, and very soon, too," answered the man. "The king's
enemies are even now advancing, and all are ready for the fight. To-
day will decide whether Richard or Henry shall be king of England."
The smith went on with his work. From a bar of iron he made four
horseshoes. These he hammered and shaped and fitted to the horse's
feet. Then he began to nail them on.
But after he had nailed on two shoes, he found that he had not nails
enough for the other two. "I have only six nails," he said, "and it
will take a little time to hammer out ten more."
"Oh, well," said the groom, "won't six nails do? Put three in each
shoe. I hear the trumpets now. King Richard will be impatient."
"Three nails in each shoe will hold them on," said the smith. "Yes,
I think we may risk it."
So he quickly finished the shoeing, and the groom hurried to lead the
horse to the king.