152 JHE WONDER-BOOK OF HORSES 



marked that it was as rare to see Ogier without 

 Broiefort as to see a sword without its hilt. 



There came a time, however, after both were 

 beginning to grow old, that there was a turn in 

 the tide of their good fortune. An accident, 

 which had happened through no fault of Ogier' s, 

 had caused Charlemagne to become his enemy. 

 The faithful old warrior was banished from 

 France, and all the rich estates which had been 

 his were forfeited. He had no longer a penny, 

 nor even so much land as he could lie down upon. 

 But why should he despair? He still had Broie- 

 fort. On the good horse's back he would ride 

 out of France and seek a home and fortune 

 among strangers. He rode over the Alps into 

 Italy and told his story to Didier, the king of the 

 Lombards. Didier was glad to welcome so 

 famous a warrior : he would make him one of the 

 foremost men in his kingdom. And so Ogier 

 put his hands into the hands of the Lombard 

 king and did him homage, and received in return 

 the command of two castles on the river Rhone. 



II. THE BATTLE 



But Charlemagne would not allow his former 

 friend and warrior-chief to rest in peace, even in 



