“Well it is,” he said, “that I left you here a year longer. It was twice as large as before, and if before its coat had been like silk, now it was like satin, it shone so.īoots looked and wondered and wondered and looked. But as for the dappled colt, it was a wonder. Then the lad went away to a city near-by and took service to wait until the year was up.Īt the end of the year, to a day, Boots came back again to the hill, and there were the seven wild mares at graze, and again each had a well-grown foal beside her. There he sold them as the dappled colt had bade him and bought fodder, and this fodder he stored in the old ruined building for the colt to feed upon at will. Store the fodder in yonder old ruined building and leave the door open, so that I can go in and out and eat at will, and by next year I will be better fit for riding.”īoots was willing to do this, so he gathered the seven foals together and drove them away to market. But as for the other seven foals, take them to the market and sell them, and with the money you receive buy me fodder. Do you leave me here for another year to run free and grow, and it will be well worth your while. “Nay, Master,” answered the colt “that is not what you should do. “The other seven foals I will leave here with their mothers, but this one I will take out into the world with me, for already he is big enough and stout enough for me to ride him.” “Now in all my life never have I seen a colt like that colt,” cried Boots. His coat was a beautiful dappled grey, and shone like silk and he was more than twice the size of any of the other foals. They were fat and well-grown foals, but beside the seven there was another colt there on the hill, and he was a wonder. He reached it before his shoes were worn out, and there were the seven wild mares grazing hither and thither, and each one had a foal with her. It was half a day’s journey to the hill, but Boots thought nothing of that. Soon afterward the man died, and the six older brothers divided his riches among them in very friendly fashion.Īs for Boots, he asked for nothing, but he took his staff in his hand, and set out for the farther hill to look at his seven wild mares. The six older sons thought Boots a great simpleton to be satisfied with so little, but since he was content, it was not for them to quarrel over it. When they have colts, I will leave the colts with their mothers until they are big enough and then I will sell them, and so I will have enough to live upon.” All the other things had been promised to his brothers. But by this time nothing was left to choose but seven wild mares that ran about free on one of the farther hills. At last it came the turn of the youngest, who was called Boots, to say what he wished to have. One said one thing, and one another one wanted the house, and one the land one wanted gold, and one the flocks and herds. He asked each one, beginning at the eldest, what he wished to have left to him. When the man’s time came to die he called his sons about him that he might divide his goods among them. There was once a rich man who had seven sons, and they were all stout, well-grown lads. We would encourage parents to read beforehand if your child is sensitive to such themes. This is a vintage fairy tale, and may contain violence.
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