This pleased Helga very much, for she had never had anything of
her own; and she smiled quite happily as she thanked Habogi for
his present.

They soon left the sheep behind them, and entered a large field
with a river running through it, where a number of beautiful grey
cows were standing by a gate waiting for a milk-maid to come and
milk them.

'Oh, what lovely cows!' cried Helga again; 'I am sure their milk
must be sweeter than any other cows. How I should like to have
some! I wonder to whom they belong?'

'To your Habogi,' replied he; 'and some day you shall have as
much milk as you like, but we cannot stop now. Do you see that
big grey one, with the silver bells between her horns? That is
to be yours, and you can have her milked every morning the moment
you wake.'

And Helga's eyes shone, and though she did not say anything, she
thought that she would learn to milk the cow herself.

A mile further on they came to a wide common, with short, springy
turf, where horses of all colours, with skins of satin, were
kicking up their heels in play. The sight of them so delighted
Helga that she nearly sprang from her saddle with a shriek of
joy.

'Whose are they?' Oh! whose are they?' she asked. 'How happy any
man must be who is the master of such lovely creatures!'