The Lilac Fairy Book, part 26 · page 21 2101‘You will never be able to do all that,’ said she, but he bade her remembered that these were only matters for men, and galloped away down the path she pointed out.102The farmer’s wife sighed and, giving Peronnik some more food, bade him good-night.103The idiot rose and was opening the gate which led into the forest when the farmer himself came up.104‘I want a boy to tend my cattle,’ he said abruptly, ‘as the one I had has run away.105Will you stay and do it?’ and Peronnik, though he loved his liberty and hated work, recollected the good food he had eaten, and agreed to stop.106At sunrise he collected his herd carefully and led them to the rich pasture which lay along the borders of the forest, cutting himself a hazel wand with which to keep them in order.107His task was not quite so easy as it looked, for the cows had a way of straying into the wood, and by the time he had brought one back another was off.108He had gone some distance into the trees, after a naughty black cow which gave him more trouble than all the rest, when he heard the noise of horse’s feet, and peeping through the leaves he beheld the giant Rogear seated on his mare, with the colt trotting behind.109Round the giant’s neck hung the golden bowl suspended from a chain, and in his hand he grasped the diamond lance, which gleamed like fire.110But as soon as he was out of sight the idiot sought in vain for traces of the path he had taken.111This happened not only once but many times, till Peronnik grew so used to him that he never troubled to hide.112But on each occasion he saw him the desire to possess the bowl and the lance became stronger.113One evening the boy was sitting alone on the edge of the forest, when a man with a white beard stopped beside him.114‘Do you want to know the way to Kerglas?’ asked the idiot, and the man answered ‘I know it well.’115‘You have been there without being killed by the magician?’ cried Peronnik.116‘Oh! he had nothing to fear from me,’ replied the white-bearded man, ‘I am Rogear’s elder brother, the wizard Bryak.117When I wish to visit him I always pass this way, and as even I cannot go through the enchanted wood without losing myself, I call the colt to guide me.’118Stooping down as he spoke he traced three circles on the ground and murmured some words very low, which Peronnik could not hear.119Then he added aloud:120Colt, free to run and free to eat.121Colt, gallop fast until we meet,1 2← previousThe Lilac Fairy Book, part 25next →The Lilac Fairy Book, part 27↑ back to The Lilac Fairy BookThis page in Markdown → https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg3454/26/page/2/