o move from its place. The neighbouring kings offered
magnificent rewards to any one who could destroy the monster by magic or
otherwise, and many people had tried their fortune, but their efforts
were all futile. On one occasion, a large wood in which the monster was
skulking was set on fire. The wood was destroyed, but the noxious animal
was not harmed in the slightest degree. However, it was reported among
old people that nobody could overcome the monster except with the help
of King Solomon's Seal, on which a secret inscription was engraved, from
which it could be discovered how the monster might be destroyed. But
nobody could tell where the seal was now concealed, nor where to find a
sorcerer who could read the inscription.

At length a young man whose head and heart were in the right place
determined to set out in search of the seal-ring, trusting in his good
fortune. He started in the direction of the East, where it is supposed
that the wisdom of the ancients is to be sought for. After some years he
met with a celebrated magician of the East, and asked him for advice.
The sorcerer answered, "Men have but little wisdom, and here it can
avail you nothing, but God's birds will be your best guides under
heaven, if you will learn their language. I can help you with it if you
will stay with me for a few days."

The young man thankfully accepted this friendly offer, and replied, "I
am unable at present to make you any return for your kindness, but if I
should succeed in my enterprise, I will richly reward you for your
trouble." Then the sorcerer prepared a powerful charm, by boiling nine
kinds of magic herbs which he had gathered secretly by moonlight.[71] He
made the young man drink a spoonful every day, and it had the effect of
making the language of birds intelligible to him. When he departed, the
sorcerer said, "If you should have the good luck to find and get
possession of Solomon's Seal, come back to me, that I may read you the
inscription on the ring, for there is no one else now living who can do
so."

On the very next day the young man found the world quite transformed. He
no longer went anywhere alone, but found company everywhere, for he now
understood the language of birds, and thus many secrets were revealed to
him which human wisdom would have been unable to discover. Nevertheless,
some time passed before he could learn anything about the ring. At
length one evening, when he was exhausted with heat and f