“Won’t you please tell me about the enchanted1 horse?” said Ray.
The Talking Chair gave a low laugh, saying:
“How would you like to have the enchanted horse yourself, Ray?”
“O, that would be fine!” exclaimed Ray.
“Then do as I tell you and you will find it,” said the Talking Chair.
“First close your eyes, now take a deep breath; when I count ten open your eyes and go wherever you please.”
Ray did exactly as the Talking Chair directed, and when he opened his eyes he found himself148 in a strange country. He started to walk across a field and met a beautiful little boy.
The boy smiled at Ray and said, “My name is Stanzill, I am the keeper of the enchanted horse.”
“Are you?” exclaimed Ray. “How I would like to see it!”
“You may see it and have it for your own if you can guess my riddle2.”
“Let me hear it,” said Ray, and Stanzill began:
“I waded3 in the brook4 one day
And saw a little boy at play.
I smiled at him, he smiled at me;
I clapped my hands, and so did he.
Then out I ran, nor stopped until
I reached the round tower on the hill.
I called to him. ‘Hello!’ I said;
‘Hello!’ he answered overhead.
His name, pray tell what can it be,
The boy who looks and talks like me.”
Ray had heard riddles5 before but he was not very good at guessing them.
“Will you please say it once more?” said Ray, and Stanzill smiled and repeated the riddle.
“Now be very careful,” said Stanzill, “because you only have three guesses.”
“Is it a fish?” asked Ray. Stanzill shook his head.
“Is it a bird?”
Again Stanzill shook his head and said, “Now you have just one more guess, if you wish I can tell you the right answer, but if I do, you can never see the enchanted horse.”
“Then don’t tell me,” said Ray. “I’ll try very hard to guess it this time.”
“You may have a day to guess it,” said Stanzill. “I shall leave you now, but to-morrow meet me at this spot; if you have the answer, you shall have the enchanted horse; if not, you will never see me again.”
Stanzill disappeared and Ray sat on the grass to think of the answer to the riddle. He repeated the words of the riddle slowly.
“What can it be?” said Ray to himself, and looking up he chanced to see a pond of water in the center of the field. He ran over to the pond and taking off his shoes and stockings he waded in the edge of the pond. The water was smooth as glass, and all of a sudden Ray saw his own image reflected in the shining surface. Ray smiled and his shadow smiled back, then he clapped his hands and the boy in the pond did the same.
“Now I know,” said Ray, and he jumped out of the water and put on his shoes and stockings. He started to run and never stopped till he reached a stone tower on a hill. Ray ran into the tower and shouted “Hello!” “Hello!” shouted the echo, “I am Ray,” shouted the boy “I am Ray,” shouted the echo.
Ray was delighted; he ran out of the tower and down the hill to wait for Stanzill. In a few moments he saw the boy appear. Stanzill approached and said:
“I waded in the pond one day
And saw a little boy at play.
I smiled at him, he smiled at me;
I clapped my hands, and so did he.
Then out I ran, nor stopped until
I reached the round tower on the hill.
I called to him. ‘Hello!’ I said.
‘Hello!’ he shouted overhead.
His name, pray tell what can it be,
The boy who looks and talks like me.”
“Your shadow and echo, his name is Stanzill,” answered Ray.
“You are right,” said the stranger, “and you shall have the wonderful enchanted horse.”
“Shall I have it to keep for my own?” asked Ray.
“It shall be yours forever if you remember one thing,” said Stanzill.
“It is a fairy horse, as you know, and can do all things; but when once on its back, you must never look behind—if you do, it will be lost to you forever.”
So saying Stanzill disappeared and in his152 place stood a beautiful white horse, just tall enough for Ray. After stroking the handsome horse, he swung himself into the saddle. “Away to fairyland,” said Ray, waving his hand.
Right up into the air rose the enchanted horse, with Ray on his back, and swift as thought he flew through the air. Over the fair land to the other end of the earth went the horse, and then came down so that Ray could look about. It was midday in fairyland and many of the fairies were asleep on the bosom6 of the flowers. Others were sailing past on silvery clouds, and on the leaves of an aspen tree near by Ray saw several fairies playing see-saw. It was all very still and dreamy at midday in fairyland and Ray was afraid he would fall asleep if he remained, so he jumped on the enchanted horse, and said, “Away to the Ice King’s country.”
Again the horse rose in the air and followed the course of the north wind. The air was sharp and cold, and sometimes they passed153 through places where snow was falling. At last Ray looked down and beheld7 a country of snow-fields and ice castles. He saw stretches of cold blue water where immense
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CHAPTER XI. THE TALKING CHAIR.
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CHAPTER XIII. THE THREE BOXES.
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