THE HORSE AND HIS RIDER. 139 



meantime let fly their arrows and hit the mark as oft 

 as they shot. Some would spring out of their 

 saddles, that were fast tied to the horses, and would 

 untie them, and then shoot : thrice they would tie on 

 their saddles, and as oft pierce the mark, the horse all 

 the while running at his full speed. Sitting after 

 their usual manner, they would jump behind their 

 saddles, and let their heads hang down, then raise 

 themselves up, and get into their saddles. Thrice 

 they would do this, and as oft let fly their arrows 

 without ever missing the mark. Or sitting in their 

 saddles, they would lay their heads backwards on their 

 horse's croup, and taking his tail, hold it in their teeth, 

 then raise themselves up, and shoot as sure as ever 

 they did. 



" Others would sit between drawn, sharp pointed 

 swords, three on either side, and in very thin clothes, 

 so that if they had but budged, ever so little, to one 

 side or the other, they must have been wounded ; yet 

 so dexterously did they move backwards and forwards, 

 that (as if there had been danger on either side) they 

 were always sure to pierce the mark. 



" Among all the young men who performed these ex- 

 ercises, there was only one found, who, with his feet 

 loose, could stand upon the backs of two of the swift- 

 est horses at their full speed, and let fly three arrows 

 forwards and backwards. There was another, who 

 could sit on a horse without a saddle or bridle, and at 



