great white horse.

After they had entered the hill, Dame Margery climbed down from the
pillion and stood looking about her. Then she saw that she was in a
great hall, the walls of which were glistening with gold and silver,
while bright stones gleamed like so many stars all over the roof of the
place. Three little fairy children were playing with golden balls on the
floor, and when they saw the dame they stopped in their sport and stood
looking silently upon her with great, wide-opened eyes, just as though
they were little mortal children. In the corner of the room was a bed
all of pure gold, and over the bed were spread coverlets of gold and
silver cloth, and in the bed lay a beautiful little lady, very white and
ill. Then Dame Margery knew well enough that every one of these little
people were fairies.

The dame nursed the fairy lady all that night, and by cock-crow in the
morning the little woman had ease from her pain.

Then the little man spoke for the first time since Dame Margery had left
home. "Look'ee, Dame Margery," said he; "I promised to pay you well and
I will keep my word. Come hither!" So the dame went to him as he had
bidden her to do, and the little man filled her reticule with black
coals from the hearth. The dame said nothing, but she wondered much
whether the little man called this good pay for her pains. After this
she climbed up on the great horse again, and behind the little man, and
they rode out of the place and home, where they were safe and sound
ere the day had fairly broken. But before the little man had left her he
drew out another little box just like the one that Tommy Lamb had
brought her the evening before, only this time the box was filled with
red ointment. "Rub your eyes with this, Dame Margery," said he.