Cinderlad ended up in the king’s service.
The next morning, the Master of the Horse released the seven foals.
Cinderlad ran after the foals, but unlike his brothers he was not tired. Like his brothers he came to the cleft of the rock where the witch could be found.
“Come here and let me comb your hair, young man!” The witch told Cinderlad.
“You have to come to me.” The young man yelled as he caught the tail of the youngest foal and he crossed the witch. “I do not have the time now.”
The witch was surprised as Cinderlad ran after the foals.
When they had crossed the cleft, the foal turned to Cinderlad. “Get on my back, we have a long way to go.”
Cinderlad did as he was told and rode on.
“Do you see anything now?” The youngest foal asked Cinderlad after traveling for a long time.
Cinderlad shook his head.
The foal rode on.
Finally, the third time that the foal asked the question, Cinderlad saw something white.
“I think it is the trunk of a birch tree.”
The eldest foal broke the trunk of the birch tree and inside it Cinderlad saw a room with a sword hanging from one of the walls.
Cinderlad could not wield the sword at first, but the foals encouraged Cinderlad to keep trying and Cinderland became fairly good at wielding the sword after some time.
The foals looked very grave. “Now that you can use the sword, you have to use the sword and kill us, on the day that you get married to the princess.”
Cinderlad was shocked.
Adapted from the Norwegian Folktales
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