To Murrogh his wife said: ‘You might as well have perished yesterday as to-morrow. My brother's son has those things and there is not in his garden a single spike on which there is not the skull of a king's son begotten of a queen, except one spike only, which is there for yourself. Rest a while till you have put off your weariness. You are tired, and you must strengthen yourself before you go.’ He did so.
At last he said: ‘It is as well to be going.’ ‘Go out and catch my odd shaggy pony and take him with you.’ Out he went, but though he were running after the horse ever since, he would not have caught him. She then went out herself and pulled a little bridle out of her pocket, and the horse came and thrust his head into it. ‘Face him towards the palace and see whether he will take it three times running, you on his back.’ He put his face to the palace, and he took it. ‘Whatever else you do, you will do the riding at all events’, said the woman.