house. He went in, and the man asked him why he looked so down in the mouth. He told him about the prophecy that "he was to be put to death by a four-footed beast." The man told him to come in, and then asked him whose bitches they were that he had, because they looked like his two brothers' bitches. John said that they had been given him by the two brothers. The man said "All right," and then gave John, and his two bitches, and a dog of his own, called Nart,[1] a good supper. Then he told the dogs to guard the house, and in the night the bull came, ten times fiercer than ever he had come before, and demanded John to be sent out, and then the dogs set on him, and such a terrible battle was fought that with their feet the hard ground was made soft, and the soft ground was made hard. But before the morning the bull had to go away defeated. "Now," said the man, "since my two brothers have been so kind to you, I will give you my dog, Nart." So they bade good-bye to one another, and John went off.
He had now three dogs—Fiss, Lice, and Nart—(knowledge, cure, and strength), and as he was walking along he met a gentleman who asked him if he wanted any employment. John said he did, and the gentleman asked him what he could do. John answered that he could mind cows. The gentleman said that he wanted a herd, so John engaged with the gentleman. Then Fiss, who knew everything, whispered to John, "Be careful of that man, for he is your enemy though he does not know that he is, because it is his daughter who sends the bull after you; so take my advice, never get drunk, make an agreement that we are to sleep in the same room always with you, and never lose your presence of mind or get off your guard, but always take us about with you. Another thing, when you go into the farmyard with the gentleman to see his stock, be very careful of the bull, which is enchanted. The gentleman will tell you to take us away or else the bull will kill us. Do not, but tell him that if he likes you will set us at the bull. We will fly at him, and then when he sees his bull near killed he will ask you to call us off. Then call us off." John went the next morning to see his master's stock, and when the bull saw him it began roaring and pawing the ground. "Take your
- ↑ Strength.
