168 SLAV TALES

the princess, advanced towards the town at a gallop. They
had decided among themselves that if it resisted they would
lay siege to it.

Mistaking Broad’s open mouth for one of the city gates,
they all dashed through and disappeared.

Broad closed his mouth, and having swallowed them,
ran to rejoin his comrades in the palace of Matthias’ father.
He felt somewhat disturbed with a whole army inside him,
and the earth groaned and trembled beneath him as he ran.
He could hear the shouts of the people assembled round
Matthias, as they rejoiced at his safe return.

“ Ah, here you are at last, brother Broad,” cried Matthias,
directly he caught sight of him. “But what have you done
with the army? Where have you left it ?”

“The army is here, quite safe,” answered he, patting his
enormous person. “I shall be very pleased to return them
as they are, for the morsel is not very easy to digest.”

“Come then, let them out of their prison,” said Matthias,
enjoying the joke, and at the same time calling all the
inhabitants to assist at the entertainment.

Broad, who looked upon it as a common occurrence,
stood in the middle of the palace square, and putting his
hands to his sides, began to cough. Then—it was really a
sight worth seeing—at each cough horsemen and horses fell
out of his mouth, one over the other, plunging, hopping,
jumping, trying who could get out of the way the quickest.
The last one had a little difficulty in getting free, for he
somehow got into one of Broad’s nostrils and was unable to
move. It was only by giving a good sneeze that Broad
could release him, the last of the royal cavaliers, and he