2o6 THE WONDER-BOOK OF HORSES 



gave to Peleus splendid gifts, and favored him 

 above all other men, yet they meted out to him 

 great grief because no princely sons were born in 

 his halls save only myself, who am doomed to an 

 untimely death." 



Then Priam besought him that, for the sake 

 of his own father (so soon to be bereaved), he 

 would deliver to him the body of Hector and ac- 

 cept therefor the rich ransom that he had brought. 

 Without saying a word in reply, Achilles, fol- 

 lowed by his squire, hastened across the court- 

 yard and leaped through the great door. Then, 

 loosing the horses and the mules, they began to 

 tmload the countless treasures. And when they 

 had carried all into the house, they took up the 

 body of Hector from the place where it lay, and, 

 having covered it over with a doublet and a 

 princely robe and laid it upon a bier, they lifted 

 it into the polished wagon. 



Long before the dawn of day, Swift and Old- 

 Gold, still looking out into the darkness, saw the 

 chariot of King Priam and the wagon drawn by 

 the team of mules issue noiselessly from the court- 

 yard. And in the chariot stood the king and his 

 groom; but upon the wagon, driving the sturdy 

 mules, sat the bright herald whom Old-Gold de- 



