one had ever seen his match; and the knight had a suit of golden mail,
and a golden saddle and bridle, so wondrous bright that the sunbeams
gleamed from them a mile off. The other knights and princes could not
find time to call out to him not to try his luck, for they were amazed
to see how grand he was. So he rode at the hill, and tore up it like
nothing, so that the Princess hadn't even time to wish that he might get
up the whole way. As soon as ever he reached the top, he took the third
golden apple from the Princess's lap, and then turned his horse and rode
down again. As soon as he got down he rode off at full speed, and was
out of sight in no time.

Now, when the two brothers got home at even, you may fancy what long
stories they told, how the riding had gone off that day; and amongst
other things, they had a deal to say about the knight in golden mail.

"He just was a chap to ride," they said; "so grand a knight isn't to be
found in this wide world."

Next day all the knights and princes were to pass before the king and
the Princess--that he who had the gold apple might bring it forth; but
one came after another, first the princes, then the knights, and still
no one could show the gold apple.

"Well," said the king, "some one must have it, for it was something that
we all saw with our own eyes, how a man came and rode up and bore it
off."

So he commanded that everyone who was in the kingdom should come up to
the palace and see if he could show the apple. Well, they all came one
after another, but no one had the golden apple, and after a long time