e house and the town.

For nearly a fortnight the youth tramped over hill and valley with
little in his pouch and without much hope that the slender means of
which he was possessed would bring him to the land of the Saracens,
where alone he could hope to learn the great art of tempering the blades
of Damascus. One evening he entered the solitary mountain country of
Spessart and, unacquainted with the labyrinths of the road, lost himself
in an adjoining forest. By this time night had fallen, and he cast about
for a place in which to lay his head. But the inhospitable forest showed
no sign of human habitation. After wandering on, however, stumbling and
falling in the darkness, he at length saw a light burning brightly at a
distance. Quickly he made for it and found that it came from the window
of a cottage, at the door of which he knocked loudly. He had not long to
wait for an answer, for an old woman speedily opened and inquired what
he wanted at so late an hour. He told her that he desired food and
lodging, for which he could pay, and he was at once admitted. She told
him, however, that she expected another visitor. Whilst she cooked his
supper Wilhelm detailed to her the circumstances of his journey. After
he had eaten he retired to rest, but, tired as he was, he could not
sleep. Later a dreadful storm arose, through the din of which he heard
a loud noise, as if someone had entered the house by way of the chimney.
Peering through the keyhole into the next room, he perceived a man
seated at the table opposite his hostess whose appearance filled him
with misgiving. He had not much leisure for a detailed examination of
this person, however, for the witch--for such she was--came to the door
of his room, entered, and bade him come and be introduced to a stranger
from the East who could tell him the secret of forging Damascus blades.
Wilhelm followed the old woman into the other room and beheld there a
swarthy man seated, wrapped in a flame-coloured mantle. For a long time
the stranger regarded him steadily, then demanded what he wanted from
him. Wilhelm told him the circumstances of his quest, and when he
had finished the story the man laughed and, drawing from his pocket a
document, requested the youth to sign it. Wilhelm perceived that it was
of the nature of a pact with Satan, by which he was to surrender
his soul in return for the coveted secret. Nevertheless, he set his
signature to the manuscript and returned to his co