Another five years passed. While Cedric found many chances to put his sword to good use, he found no one who could tell him anything about the Maiden in the Castle of the Rosy Clouds.
One day he came to a village where the people were running frantically around, astir and beside themselves. One of the largest homes in the center of town had caught on fire. "Alas! Old lame Father Lars is still up there!" they cried. Indeed,
as Cedric rushed toward the burning house he could see in the third floor window the shadow of a frantic old man. But how to get him out? - the tallest ladder had already burned and no other ladder reached beyond the second floor.
"I have only myself in the world so what have I to lose?" thought Cedric and he ran up the stairs to the third floor while flames licked both legs. Outside, the villagers saw a second shadow enter in front of the window and lift the old man as if he were a child, but in the next instant the entire building was aflame. "Both he and the stranger are lost!" they wailed. Yet moments
later, with an astonishment they would relay to their children and grandchildren again and again in years to come, they saw the young man emerge from the flaming building quite unharmed, carrying on his back the old man who was just as surprised as they.
Perhaps none was as surprised, however, as Cedric himself who, as he set down the old man, noticed a red mantle fluttering around them both. "Of course!" he thought, "the red mantle from the rhyme that protects from fire! Now I have two of the magical items - the sword of Gull and the red mantle. The only one left between me and the Maiden in the Castle of the Rosy Clouds is the
flying gray stallion."
The young man politely stayed for a few days and let the villagers feast him and congratulate him over and over, and then he resumed his
journey.
Ten more years passed. While Cedric brandished the sword of Gull, protected others from fire with the red mantle, and performed many a great deed, he
discovered no clue to bring him closer to his Maiden in the Castle of the Rosy Clouds.
By this time Cedric developed something he didn't have before - a companion.
Another young man, impressed with Cedric's brave deeds, had become his friend and asked to accompany him on his adventures. Often the friend implored Cedric to share with him the secret of his success. Finally, Cedric confided in him the magic powers of the sword of Gull and the red mantle. They talked long into the night. The next morning when Cedric awoke the companion was gone, and so were the sword and mantle.
Furious, Cedric called for his friend everywhere, followed footprints, but all to no avail. He climbed a hill to get as wide a view as possible, and there in the distance noticed his friend, clutching the red mantle in one hand and his own
sword in the other. Cedric realized his worst fear. "He robbed me!" Yet the next moment, something even more unbelievable took place. The red mantle unfolded from under the lad's arms, rose into the air like a blanket, then grabbed his former friend like an eagle swooping for its prey, and held him aloft, kicking his legs and crying out in terror.
The mantle soared higher and higher, carrying the thief over a wide, deep, chasm. When it reached the other side it dropped him, and there he tumbled headlong until Cedric could see him no more.
"Surely he'll die of wounds from the fall if he's not already dead!" Cedric thought, alarmed, and ran to the edge of the chasm. He must jump across to the other side and there wasn't a moment to lose. Cedric took a running start and leapt as wide as he could, but
almost at the very moment both feet left the edge of the ravine he realized he didn't have enough momentum to bridge the gap and would surely fall to his death. As he lost momentum and started to fall, Cedric somehow landed on something soft and realized he was riding a horse, a gray stallion in fact, that was riding through the air and taking him safely to the other side. The moment they alighted, Cedric rushed to his friend, who moaned in mortal pain near the bushes.
Hurriedly, Cedric ripped his clothes to make bandages to stop the flow of blood. When he had tightly bound the wounds and tucked soft grasses under his friend's head, Cedric
stood up and look around. The gray stallion was still there, neighing softly, and the sword of Gull, and the red mantle, which had neatly folded itself, lay on the ground. Cedric slipped the sword back in its sheath, tied the red mantle around his neck, and lifted his friend on the horse in front of him. He rode the fallen friend to the next town, where he stayed until he was well.
More long years passed. Cedric's cheeks became furrowed and his hair had turned gray. His childhood friends had long since married and had children of their own, many of whom had grown up and married, too. Still, Cedric continued to ride the gray stallion in search
of the maiden from the dream of his youth.
Then one day in the distance, swirled a rosy mist. Through the clouds he caught a glimpse of a golden spire of castle
glinting in the sun. Could it be? The stallion seemed to know and caught the excitement, eagerly starting on the winding road that led to the castle. As soon as Cedric entered the foggy haze of the clouds, a fierce giant let out a roar and pounded toward him. As the giant, now close enough to strike, flung back his arm, Cedric clutched the sword of Gull. At that very moment, the giant vanished without a trace. Then everything was quiet except the galloping of the gray stallion, bounding up the
mountainside toward the castle.
At last, he arrived. The drawbridge lowered, and stepping out to welcome him was the very maiden of his dreams, the Maiden of the
Castle of the Rosy Clouds. She smiled with a warmth every bit as inviting and wonderful as he remembered.
"You have come," she said. "You found me and now you have
won me."
"But it took so long," the rider sighed. "Now I am old and gray."
The maiden only smiled, took his hand, and led him to the drawbridge over the moat. She pointed to his reflection in the water. Looking back at Cedric from the water was the image of his youth, a handsome young face with firm, unlined cheeks. Amazed, Cedric felt his own face - could it be? He
took the maiden's hand and together they entered the castle.
