There was once a poor widow who lived in the Highlands with her three daughters. They were all fair to look upon, and indeed the young men admired them; but they had no dowry, so there was no word of them getting married.
All the widow had besides her cottage was a yard full of fine kail, which was the principal food of the household. But there was a big grey horse that would come, morning after morning, and feed upon the kale, and, try as they liked, he would not be driven away.
One day the eldest of the three daughters said: "Well indeed, mother, we must do something to keep the beast from eating all the kale on us ! See you tomorrow morning I'll take my spinning-wheel and go; and sit in the yard, and when he comes I'll try if I canno t drive him away."
"That's you for a brave lassie," said the widow. "When he comes in, just you give him the good hit with your distaff, and maybe he will not be coming again."
So the next morning when the horse arrived as usual, there was the eldest daughter spinning among the kale. Up she got in a fine rage, and, taking her distaff, over she went to him and gave him one crack! But, och! och!---when she did, it was herself got the fine fright, for the distaff stuck to the horse, and her hand stuck to; the distaff; and away went the horse---gallop, gallop---and she with him, to a green hillock not far away.
And there the horse stamped three times on the hillock, and called out: "Open, open, green hillock, and let in the grey horse that is son of a King! Open, open, green hillock, and let in the widow's eldest daughter!"
And the hillock opened---but it wasn't the inside of a hill they were in at all, but a beautiful Palace! And the eldest daughter found warm water waiting to wash her feet, and a soft bed to lie upon, and beautiful clothes to wear.
In the morning the grey horse came to her and said: "Well now, I am going to the hunting today. See you and prepare a good dinner for me. Here are the keys of this Palace. You can open the door of every room that is in it---all but the one that this little key is for. Swear to me that you will not open it." |
