He opened the door to the castle, for the ogre was afraid of no one and did not lock his door at night. The two-headed dog growled and sprang toward the peasant, but he quickly thrust the bones in the mouth of each and that quieted them. The two heads began to eat, and while they were eating the peasant crept softly into the room of the sleeping ogre and tickled his left foot, which was sticking out from under the bedclothes. The old ogre began to laugh, and he laughed so hard and loudly that no other sound could be heard; and the peasant had time to break the slender thread which was tied to the magic shoes with one hand while he kept tickling the ogre’s left foot with the feather held in the other hand. When he had the shoes under his arm he crept softly away from the bed, leaving the ogre still laughing. [Pg 42] [Pg 42] The two-headed dog was still eating the bones, and the peasant went out and sat on the steps of the castle to put on the magic shoes. He had just drawn the shoes on when the two-headed dog finished the bones and set up a bark that the peasant thought at first was thunder. He ran to the field of pearls where grew the magic corn, and was just pulling the ears when the ogre came dashing out of his castle, followed by the two-headed dog, with both mouths wide open and looking as though he would devour him. Out of the field ran the peasant, but not before the ogre had entered, and down went the ogre out of sight, the pearls closing over his head, for, of course, he forgot all about his shoes when he heard the two-headed dog bark, and anyway he thought they were tied to the big toe of his right foot. But though he was rid of the ogre he was not of the two-headed dog, which ran after him, showing his two sets of big teeth and barking all the while. But the peasant was far ahead of the dog, so he reached the stable and fed the magic corn to the enchanted horse, who[Pg 43] neighed in the most friendly manner and let the peasant mount him. [Pg 43] He wore a bridle of gold and silver trimmed with rubies, and he was pure white, with a saddle of purple velvet, with gold and silver
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