She again gave him a handful of
ducats, but he would not keep them, and gave them to the gardener for
playthings for his children. On the third day things went just the same;
she could not get his cap away from him, and he would not have her money.
Not long afterwards, the country was overrun by war. The King gathered
together his people, and did not know whether or not he could offer
any opposition to the enemy, who was superior in strength and had a
mighty army. Then said the gardener's boy, "I am grown up, and will go
to the wars also, only give me a horse." The others laughed, and said,
"Seek one for thyself when we are gone, we will leave one behind us in
the stable for thee." When they had gone forth, he went into the stable,
and got the horse out; it was lame of one foot, and limped hobblety jig,
hobblety jig; nevertheless he mounted it, and rode away to the dark
forest. When he came to the outskirts, he called "Iron John," three
times so loudly that it echoed through the trees. Thereupon the wild
man appeared immediately, and said, "What dost thou desire?" "I want a
strong steed, for I am going to the wars.
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