They came near the big town, and he fell to horsemanship; and the princess was looking out of the windows, and noticed the horse. The horsemanship pleased her, and she came out just as the horse had come. [Illustration] "Give me a ride on the horse," said she. "You shall have that," said he, "but the horse will let no man ride him before a woman but me." "I have a horseman of my own," said she. "If so, set him in front," said he. Before the horseman mounted at all, when he tried to get up, the horse lifted his legs and kicked him off. "Come then yourself and mount before me," said she; "I won't leave the matter so." He mounted the horse and she behind him, and before she glanced from her she was nearer sky than earth. He was in Realm Underwaves with her before sunrise. "You are come," said Prince Underwaves. "I am come," said he. "There you are, my hero," said the prince. "You are the son of a king, but I am a son of success. Anyhow, we shall have no delay or neglect now, but a wedding." "Just gently," said the princess; "your wedding is not so short a way off as you suppose. Till I get the silver cup that my grandmother had at her wedding, and that my mother had as well, I will not marry, for I need to have it at my own wedding." "You, rider of the black horse," said the Prince Underwaves, "I set you under spells and under crosses unless the silver cup is here before dawn to-morrow." Out he went and reached the horse and leaned his elbow on his mane, and he heaved a sigh. "Sigh of a king's son under spells!" said the horse; "mount and you shall get the silver cup. The people of the realm are gathered about the king to-night, for he has missed his daughter, and when you get to the palace go in and leave me without; they will have the cup there going round the company. Go in and sit in their midst. Say nothing, and seem to be as one of the people of the place. But when the cup comes round to you, take it under your oxter, and come out to me with it, and we'll go." Away they went and they got to Greece, and he went in to the palace and did as the black horse bade. He took the cup and came out and mounted, and before sunrise he was in the Realm Underwaves. "You are come," said Prince Underwaves. "I am come," said he. "We had better get married now," said the prince to the Greek princess. "Slowly and softly," said she. "I will not marry till I get the silver ring that my grandmother and my mother wore when they were wedded." "You, rider of the black horse," said the Prince Underwaves, "do that. Let's have that ring here to-morrow at sunrise." The lad went to the black horse and put his elbow on his crest and told him how it was.