thought.
He tried to reason with his son, and told him that during all these
years he had been looking forward to his return, in order to resign his
throne and its cares, which pressed so heavily upon him. But it was
in vain that he talked; the prince would listen to nothing, and the
following morning buckled on his sword and set forth on his journey.

He had been travelling for many days, and had left his fatherland behind
him, when close to the road he came upon a huge tree, and on its topmost
bough an eagle was sitting shaking the branches with all his might. This
seemed so strange and so unlike an eagle, that the prince stood still
with surprise, and the bird saw him and flew to the ground. The moment
its feet touched the ground he changed into a king.

'Why do you look so astonished?' he asked.

'I was wondering why you shook the boughs so fiercely,' answered the
prince.

'I am condemned to do this, for neither I nor any of my kindred can die
till I have rooted up this great tree,' replied the king of the eagles.
'But it is now evening, and I need work no more to-day. Come to my house
with me, and be my guest for the night.'

The prince accepted gratefully the eagle's invitation, for he was tired
and hungry. They were received at the palace by the king's beautiful
daughter, who gave orders that dinner should be laid for them at
once. While they were eating, the eagle questioned his guest about
his travels, and if he was wandering for pleasure's sake, or with any
special aim. Then the prince told him everything, and how he could never
turn back till he had discovered the Land of Immortality.

'Dear brother,' said the eagle, 'you have discovered it already, and it
rejoices my heart to think that you will stay with us. Have you not just
heard me say that death has no power either over myself or any of my
kindred till that great tree is rooted up? It will take me six hundred
years' hard work to do that; so marry my daughter and let us all live
happily together here. After all, six hundred years is an eternity!'

'Ah, dear king,' replied the young man, 'your offer is very tempting!
But at the end of six hundred years we should have to die, so we should
be no better off! No, I must go on till I find the country where there
is no death at all.'

Then the princess spoke, and tried to persuade the guest to change his
mind, but he sorrowfully shook his head. At length, seeing that his
resolution was firmly fixed, s