"
"Oh, well," said the groom, "won't six nails do? Put three in each
shoe. I hear the trumpets now. King Richard will be impatient."
"Three nails in each shoe will hold them on," said the smith. "Yes,
I think we may risk it."
So he quickly finished the shoeing, and the groom hurried to lead the
horse to the king.
II
The battle had been raging for some time. King Richard rode hither and
thither, cheering his men and fighting his foes. His enemy, Henry, who
wished to be king, was pressing him hard.
Far away, at the other side of the field, King Richard saw his men
falling back. Without his help they would soon be beaten. So he spurred
his horse to ride to their aid.
He was hardly halfway across the stony field when one of the horse's
shoes flew off. The horse was lamed on a rock. Then another shoe came
off. The horse stumbled, and his rider was thrown heavily to the
ground.
Before the king could rise, his frightened horse, although lame, had
galloped away. The king looked, and saw that his soldiers were beaten,
and that the battle was everywhere going against him.
[Illustration]
He waved his sword in the air.
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