"
But Boots did not care a pin for their chattering, and as evening drew
on, he walked up the hillside to the outlying field. There he went
inside the barn and sat down; but in about an hour's time the barn began
to groan and creak, so that it was dreadful to hear.
"Well," said Boots to himself, "if it isn't worse than this, I can stand
it well enough."
A little while after came another creak and an earthquake, so that the
litter in the barn flew about the lad's ears.
"Oh!" said Boots to himself, "if it isn't worse than this, I daresay I
can stand it out."
But just then came a third rumbling and a third earthquake, so that the
lad thought walls and roof were coming down on his head; but it passed
off, and all was still as death about him.
"It'll come again, I'll be bound," thought Boots; but no, it didn't come
again; still it was, and still it stayed. But after he had sat a little
while, he heard a noise as if a horse were standing just outside the
barn door, and feeding on the grass. He stole to the door, and peeped
through a chink, and there stood a horse feeding away. So big, and fat,
and grand a horse, Boots had never set eyes on. By his side on the grass
lay a saddle and bridle, and a full set of armor for a knight, all of
brass, so bright that the light gleamed from it.
"Ho, ho!" thought the lad; "it's you, is it, that eats up our hay?"
So he lost no time, but took the steel out of his tinder box and threw
it over the horse; then it had no power to stir from the spot, and
became so tame that the lad could do what he liked with it.
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