He looked behind him, and there was the finest man he ever set eyes
upon.
"What set you weeping for the black horse?" said he.
"This," said the lad, "that there never was born of man or beast a
creature in this world that I was fonder of."
"Would you take me for him?" said the stranger.
"If I could think you the horse, I would; but if not, I would rather the
horse," said the rider.
"I am the black horse," said the lad, "and if I were not, how should you
have all these things that you went to seek in my father's house. Since
I went under spells, many a man have I ran at before you met me. They
had but one word amongst them: they could not keep me, nor manage me,
and they never kept me a couple of days. But when I fell in with you,
you kept me till the time ran out that was to come from the spells. And
now you shall go home with me, and we will make a wedding in my father's
house."