“No, sweet friend, I will never leave you!” cried Huldbrand, vainly endeavoring to restrain his furious steed; for, worse than before, it now began to foam and rear with excitement, till at last the knight was glad to keep the animal at a sufficient distance from the exhausted maiden to save her from increasing fear.  But scarcely had he withdrawn a few paces with the wild steed than she began to call after him in the most pitiful manner, believing that he was really going to leave her in this horrible wilderness.  He was utterly at a loss what course to take.  Gladly would he have given the excited beast its liberty and have allowed it to rush away into the night and spend its fury, had he not feared that in this narrow defile it might come thundering with its iron-shod hoofs over the very spot where Bertalda lay.

In the midst of this extreme perplexity and distress he heard with delight the sound of a vehicle driving slowly down the stony road behind them.  He called out for help, and a man’s voice replied, promising assistance, but bidding him have patience; and, soon after, two gray horses appeared through the bushes, and beside them the driver in the white smock of a carter; a great white linen cloth was next visible, covering the goods apparently contained in the wagon.  At a loud shout from their master the obedient horses halted.  The driver then came toward the knight and helped him restrain his foaming animal.  “I see well,” said he, “what ails the beast.  When I first traveled this way my horses acted no better.  The fact is, there is an evil water-spirit haunting the place, and he takes delight in this sort of mischief.  But I have learned a charm; if you will let me whisper it in your horse’s ear he will stand at once just as quiet as my gray beasts are doing there.”

“Try your luck then, only help us quickly!” exclaimed the impatient knight.

The wagoner then drew down the head of the rearing charger close to his own, and whispered something in his ear.  In a moment the animal stood still and quiet, and his quick panting and reeking condition were all that remained of his previous unmanageableness.  Huldbrand had no time to inquire how all this had been effected.  He agreed with the carter that he should take Bertalda on his wagon, where, as the man assured him, there was a quantity of soft cotton bales upon which she could be conveyed to Castle Ringstetten, and the knight was to accompany them on horseback.  But the horse appeared too much exhausted by its past fury to be able to carry its master so far, so the Carter persuaded Huldbrand to get into the wagon with Bertalda.  The horse could be tethered on behind.  “We are going down hill,” said he, “and that will make it light for my gray beasts.”  The knight accepted the offer and entered the wagon with Bertalda; the horse followed patiently behind, and the wagoner, steady and attentive, walked by the side.