صفحة 458 من 626

When the man awoke and found that he had been sleeping, he was

grieved at heart, and said, 'She has no doubt been here and

driven away again, and it is now too late for me to save her.'

Then his eyes fell on the things which were lying beside him; he

read the letter, and knew from it all that had happened. He rose

up without delay, eager to start on his way and to reach the

castle of Stromberg, but he had no idea in which direction he

ought to go. He travelled about a long time in search of it and

came at last to a dark forest, through which he went on walking

for fourteen days and still could not find a way out. Once more

the night came on, and worn out he lay down under a bush and fell

asleep. Again the next day he pursued his way through the forest,

and that evening, thinking to rest again, he lay down as before,

but he heard such a howling and wailing that he found it

impossible to sleep.