Pagina 431 de 626

So she thanked the sun, and went on her way till eventide; and

when the moon arose, she cried unto it, and said, 'Thou shinest

through the night, over field and grove--hast thou nowhere seen

my white dove?' 'No,' said the moon, 'I cannot help thee but I

will give thee an egg--break it when need comes.'

Then she thanked the moon, and went on till the night-wind blew;

and she raised up her voice to it, and said, 'Thou blowest

through every tree and under every leaf--hast thou not seen my

white dove?' 'No,' said the night-wind, 'but I will ask three

other winds; perhaps they have seen it.' Then the east wind and

the west wind came, and said they too had not seen it, but the

south wind said, 'I have seen the white dove--he has fled to the

Red Sea, and is changed once more into a lion, for the seven

years are passed away, and there he is fighting with a dragon;

and the dragon is an enchanted princess, who seeks to separate

him from you.' Then the night-wind said, 'I will give thee

counsel. Go to the Red Sea; on the right shore stand many

rods--count them, and when thou comest to the eleventh, break it

off, and smite the dragon with it; and so the lion will have the

victory, and both of them will appear to you in their own forms.