46 THE WONDER-BOOK OF HORSES 



answered Modgud. " It is not far, and you can- 

 not miss the road. Farewell ! " 



Hermod gave the word to Sleipnir, and the 

 horse galloped swiftly onward down the steep 

 way that the maiden had pointed out. In a little 

 while they came to the walls of a huge castle that 

 stood gloomy and dark among the hills. On the 

 outside was a deep moat filled with water. The 

 drawbridge was up and the gate was shut. Her- 

 mod tried to call to the watchman, but the sound 

 of his voice died away before it left his mouth. 

 He looked around in the hope that he might at- 

 tract the notice of some one in the towers or on 

 the walls. But there was not a soul in sight. At 

 length he dismounted and gave Sleipnir a good 

 breathing spell, while he measured with his eye 

 the distance to the top of the castle wall. Then 

 he stroked the horse's gray mane, read the runes 

 on his teeth, and whispered them in his ear. At 

 last he carefully tightened the saddle-girths and 

 remounted. 



" Good Sleipnir," he said, " you have borne me 

 thus far, and have not failed me. Stand me in 

 stead this one time, I bid you. Let those eight 

 long limbs of yours be wings as well as legs ! " 



Then, at a touch of the spur, Sleipnir sped 



