so he 's bringing the Princess of the Golden Roof home . '' `` Yes , '' answered the second , `` but he 's not got her yet . '' `` Yes , he has , '' spake the third , `` for she 's sitting beside him on the ship . '' Then number one began again and cried : `` That 'll not help him ! When they reach the land a chestnut horse will dash forward to greet them : the King will wish to mount it , and if he does it will gallop away with him , and disappear into the air , and he will never see his bride again . '' `` Is there no escape for him ? '' asked number two . `` Oh ! yes , if someone else mounts quickly and shoots the horse dead with the pistol that is sticking in the holster , then the young King is saved . But who 's to do that ? And anyone who knows it and tells him will be turned into stone from his feet to his knees . '' Then spake number two : `` I know more than that : even if the horse is slain , the young King will still not keep his bride : when they enter the palace together they will find a ready-made wedding shirt in a cupboard , which looks as though it were woven of gold and silver , but is really made of nothing but sulphur and tar : when the King puts it on it will burn him to his marrow and bones . '' Number three asked : `` Is there no way of escape , then ? '' `` Oh ! yes , '' answered number two : `` If someone seizes the shirt with gloved hands and throws it into the fire , and lets it burn , then the young King is saved . But what 's the good ? Anyone knowing this and telling it will have half his body turned into stone , from his knees to his heart . '' Then number three spake : `` I know yet more : though the bridal shirt too be burnt , the King has n't even then secured his bride : when the dance is held after the wedding , and the young Queen is dancing , she will suddenly grow deadly white , and drop down like one dead , and unless some one lifts her up and draws three drops of blood from her right side , and spits them out again , she will die . But if anyone who knows this betrays it , he will be turned into stone from the crown of his head to the soles of his feet . '' When the ravens had thus conversed they fled onward , but Trusty John had taken it all in , and was sad and depressed from that time forward ; for if he were silent to his master concerning what he had heard , he would involve him in misfortune ; but if he took him into his confidence , then he himself would forfeit his life .
At last he said : `` I will stand by my XXXXX , though it should be my ruin . ''
Number feet hands holster knees master pistol ship shirt soles