ed, for he had
now become a strong youth, when one day he beheld afar off a lofty
mountain which seemed to reach the clouds. But a whole week more passed
before he could reach its foot. Then he sat down to rest, and to see
whether the predictions of the old man would be accomplished. He had not
sat there very long when a strange hissing fell upon his ear, and
immediately afterwards an enormous serpent appeared, at least twelve
fathoms long, which came quite close to the young man. Horror seized
him, and he was unable to move, but the serpent passed by him in a
moment. Then all was still awhile, but afterwards it seemed to him as if
something heavy was moving along in sudden leaps. This proved to be a
great toad,[148] as large as a foal of two years old. This ugly creature
also passed by without taking any notice of the youth. Then he heard a
rushing noise above him, as if a great storm had arisen, and when he
looked up, he saw a great eagle flying over his head in the direction
which the serpent and the toad had taken. "These are queer things to
bring me good fortune," thought the youth. Suddenly he beheld a man on a
black horse riding towards him. The horse seemed to have wings to his
feet, for he flew like the wind. When the man saw the youth sitting at
the foot of the mountain, he reined in his horse and asked, "Who has
passed by here?" The youth answered, "First of all a great serpent,
perhaps twelve fathoms long, then a toad as large as a two-year-old
foal, and lastly a great eagle high above my head. I could not guess at
his size, but the sound of his wings was like that of a tempest." "You
have seen well," answered the stranger. "These are my worst enemies, and
I am now in pursuit of them. I might take you into my service, if you
have nothing better in view. Climb over the mountain, and you will come
straight to my house. I shall be there as soon as you, if not sooner."
The young man promised to come, and the stranger rode away like the
wind.

The youth did not find it easy to climb the mountain. It was three days
before he could reach the summit, and three days more before he reached
the foot of the mountain on the opposite side. His new acquaintance was
standing in front of his house, and he informed him that he had
succeeded in killing the serpent and the toad, but that he had not been
able to reach the eagle. Then he asked the young man if he was willing
to engage himself as his servant. "You can have as much