第483页 / 共626页

Then she told him that the well that held the Water of Life was

in the palace gardens; and bade him make haste, and draw what he

wanted before the clock struck twelve.

He walked on; and as he walked through beautiful gardens he came

to a delightful shady spot in which stood a couch; and he thought

to himself, as he felt tired, that he would rest himself for a

while, and gaze on the lovely scenes around him. So he laid

himself down, and sleep fell upon him unawares, so that he did

not wake up till the clock was striking a quarter to twelve. Then

he sprang from the couch dreadfully frightened, ran to the well,

filled a cup that was standing by him full of water, and hastened

to get away in time. Just as he was going out of the iron door it

struck twelve, and the door fell so quickly upon him that it

snapped off a piece of his heel.