"I see one," said the prince. "One want at least to be made good. A well
to be made inside, so that water may not be far to fetch when there is a
feast or a wedding in the castle."
"That won't be long undone," said the rider of the black horse.
The well was made, and it was seven fathoms deep and two or three
fathoms wide, and they looked at the well on the way to the wedding.
"It is very well made," said she, "but for one little fault yonder."
"Where is it?" said Prince Underwaves.
"There," said she.
He bent him down to look. She came out, and she put her two hands at his
back, and cast him in.
"Be thou there," said she. "If I go to be married, thou art not the man;
but the man who did each exploit that has been done, and, if he chooses,
him will I have."
Away she went with the rider of the little black horse to the wedding.
And at the end of three years after that so it was that he first
remembered the black horse or where he left him.
He got up and went out, and he was very sorry for his neglect of the
black horse. He found him just where he left him.
"Good luck to you, gentleman," said the horse. "You seem as if you had
got something that you like better than me."
"I have not got that, and I won't; but it came over me to forget you,"
said he.
"I don't mind," said the horse, "it will make no difference. Raise your
sword and smite off my head."
"Fortune will now allow that I should do that," said he.
"Do it instantly, or I will do it to you," said the horse.
So the lad drew his sword and smote off the horse's head; then he lifted
his two palms and uttered a doleful cry.