On a time it fortuned, that with a lord of great wealth and much land, our noble Master Owlglass took service. Now this most noble gentleman, when that he entered into the lord his household, was made to be groom of the horses; and his lord commanded and enjoined him, that he should have a great care of the horses, and in especial he desired Owlglass to dress and tend a horse of a milk-white skin and gentle blood, named Rosimond. And this horse did his lord love better than any other steed; for that it was of a disposition most rare. Yet did Owlglass none the less bethink him of a knavery the which he might do unto this lord; for from a deceitful beguiling could he at no time refrain. But he answered his lord when that he charged him; and spake unto him, saying: “Yea, my good lord and master; all that ye bid me to do will I with great diligence perform.” And therewith departed his lord from him, and rejoiced with great content that he had obtained for himself so excellent a groom.

In no long time thereafter were all the horses put forth into the fields, there to graze, and to exercise themselves after the manner of horses. Then gat Owlglass unto his lord, and stood before him, and said: “Of a truth, master, well know I that of thy horses there is not one that thou lovest so well as thou dost the milk-white steed Rosimond.” And thereto said his master: “Yea.” “Then of that steed,” answered Owlglass, “have I had special care. Yet I fear me, master, that by thy answer unto me, he will not be long to live.” Then said his master: “If that be so, and my beloved steed is not long to live, go thou, my trusty groom, and get ye me his skin, that I may have it.” For Rosimond’s skin was of a most rare beauty. Thereat answered Owlglass: “Yea;” and gat him to the field where Rosimond was grazing, and pursued him. But the horse was very fleet, and fled before Owlglass; and it was eventide ere Owlglass caught him. Then when he had thus caught him, he took a knife and killed Rosimond, and took his skin, and brought it unto his lord. And when that he brought it unto him, he said unto Owlglass: “How cometh this? Verily, the whole day hast thou been away, and surely in a less time than a whole day couldst thou have taken off the skin.” And Owlglass excused himself, saying: “Lo! my good lord, most truly sayest thou that in less than a whole day could I have taken off the skin; yet had I great labour in the matter, for Rosimond fled before me, and was fleet of foot. Now have I brought the skin, as thou didst enjoin me.” Then waxed the master of Owlglass very wroth, and cried aloud unto him: “Thou knave, was not my horse Rosimond dead then? Didst thou kill my horse?” To him quoth Owlglass: “Yea, truly killed I the horse; for so cruel am I not, that I should take the skin off a living horse. For in torture-chambers do they only such things, either unto man or unto beast.” Then wept the lord greatly for his beloved horse; and he would have killed Owlglass, but that Owlglass fled, saying: “I did but according to the words of my master; for I said unto him, that I feared me that the horse would not live any long while; and then commanded he that I should take his skin, the which I have done, and my kind heart hath injured me, in that I did not skin the horse ere I killed it.” Then departed Owlglass in great haste, and came not again into that lord’s house.