Oct 2, 2018 6 min read

The story so far: Janko’s search for some way to defeat Velky the giant has led him to meet Kon, a talking horse who was stolen by robbers from a wizard. However, danger is approaching from behind Janko’s back!

¦ CHAPTER FOUR

First battle

“Look out behind you!” said Kon, the wizard’s horse.

Fortunately for himself and our story, Janko did not look. Instead, he jumped to one side. An iron-studded club came down where he had been and splintered the hitching post.

“Blazon zaba!” Klinko the Robber roared as he raised his club for another blow. “Fool frog!”

The reins that had wrapped themselves around Janko’s wrist jerked at his arm and pulled him upward as he leapt again. To his surprise, Janko found himself in the saddle on Kon’s back.

Klinko the Robber rushed at him. Janko thrust out his right foot in a kick hard enough to knock down a sturdy door. No door was handy, but Klinko’s roaring face was a good enough target. It seemed the old saying flies do not enter a closed mouth was just as true for a boot. THWACK! The robber staggered back, spitting out something white and pearly, as he fell to the ground.

A thrill of excitement surged through Janko. Not only was this the first time in his life that he had really fought back, but the encounter had ended up with someone other than himself flat on his back and bleeding. “Perhaps I really can be a hero,” Janko thought.

However, Janko also immediately realized several other things. First, it would do no good to explain to Klinko that he had not intended to steal his stolen horse. Second, without his front teeth, Klinko would find it hard tonight to eat his halusky. Third? Janko’s grandmother’s proverb even a thief has friends was true.

Klinko’s four companions were now running toward Janko. The bags in their hands and the way they looked back over their shoulders made it quite clear that they had just robbed the inn. And from the way they were brandishing their weapons at Janko, it was also quite clear they were displeased with the way he had rearranged their leader’s features. As the robber in front cocked a large crossbow, Janko realized he was about to get the point of his babicka’s aphorism do not praise yourself as a warrior until the battle is over.

“What now?” Janko said, trying frantically to fit his feet into the stirrups.

“You hold the magic reins,” the wizard’s horse answered in a calm voice. “Tell me what to do and I will obey.”

The first robber was starting to aim the crossbow.

“Get us out of here!” Janko shouted.

“As you command,” Kon whinnied. He reared up and galloped straight at the four robbers. The charge was so swift that the men had no chance to move before the big horse was upon and-with a great leap-over them. Before he touched ground, Kon kicked out with all four hooves. The crossbow flew from the first robber’s hands and the sense from the others’ heads.

Janko looked back over his shoulder as he and Kon galloped away. All four of the fearsome felons lay groaning on the ground alongside their leader.

“My early training,” Kon said, sounding pleased with himself as he galloped faster, “before becoming a wizard’s steed was as a warhorse.”

Soon the inn was far behind. Kon and Janko came to one set of crossroads, turned left, then came to another crossroads and turned again, this time onto the winding northern road toward the hills. Janko’s excitement at their defeat of the robbers had worn off and was replaced by uncertainty. He looked down into the valley below in the growing dusk. There was no distant cloud of dust on the dry road they had traveled. Whether the robbers were too injured or just unable to follow their trail, one thing was clear. They were not in pursuit. Ano. Good. But now the question was, where were Janko and Kon going? And, for that matter, where were they right now? On one side, tall trees leaned over the trail. On the other side was a sheer drop. The rising road ahead of them was rough, rocky, and ominously shadowed.

“Travel, ” Janko thought, “is good, but knowing your destination is even better.”

“Stop!” he said, pulling up on the reins.

“As you wish, master,” Kon said, halting so suddenly that Janko thought he would be thrown off.

But he was not. The saddle itself seemed to hold him and keep him from falling. Janko looked down at it and saw how weirdly decorated it was, with moons, stars, and other symbols whose meanings he could not guess-nor was he entirely sure he would wish to. Several bags hung from it. Janko felt his eyes drawn to a familiar-looking bulge in the one on the left.

He reached down to undo the strap.

“Pardon, dear master,” Kon said. “It is not time to open that saddlebag.”

“Why not?”

“That is why,” Kon said, tossing his head upward.

Janko looked up. On the wide limb of a great fir tree stood a waist-high man with a beard to his elbow and only four fingers on each hand. With a great leap, the little man landed on the road in front of them. He landed so hard that he sank into the stone up to his knees. And his grin looked far from friendly.

“The fish that escapes from the kettle,” Janko thought, “lands in the fire.”

“I am Laktibrada,” the little man growled as he stalked toward them, crushing the rocks beneath his feet with each step. “I am hungry to eat both horse and man.”

NEXT WEEK: Laktibrada