hour in this way, he came to a stream, a branch of the river he had left, and much shallower, so that he could easily cross from side to side, and he could also see the bright pebbles under the clear swift current.  The stream appeared to run from the east, the way he wished to travel towards the hills, so that he could keep by it, which he wras glad enough to do, as it was nice to get a drink of water whenever he felt thirsty, and to refresh his tired and sore little feet in the stream.

Following this water he came before very long to a place in the forest where there was little or no underwood, but only low trees and bushes scattered about, and all the ground moist and very green and fresh like a water-meadow.  It was indeed pleasant to feel his feet on the soft carpet of grass, and stooping, he put his hands down on it, and finally lying down he rolled on it so as to have the nice sensation of the warm soft grass all over his body.  So agreeable was it lying and rolling about in that open green place with the sweet sunshine on him, that he felt no inclination to get up and travel on.  It was so sweet to rest after all his strivings and sufferings in that great dark forest!  So sweet was it that he pretty soon fell asleep, and no doubt slept a long time, for when he woke, the sun, which had been over his head, was now far down in the west.  It was very still, and the air warm and fragrant at that hour, with the sun shining through the higher branches of the trees on the green turf where he was lying.  How green it was—­the grass, the trees, every tiny blade and every leaf was like a piece of emerald green glass with the sun shining through it!  So wonderful did it seem to him—­the intense greenness, the brilliant sunbeams that shone into his eyes, and seemed to fill him with brightness, and the stillness of the forest, that he sat up and stared about him.  What did it mean—­that brightness and stillness?

Then, at a little distance away, he caught sight of something on a tree of a shining golden yellow colour.  Jumping up he ran to the tree, and found that it was half overgrown with a very beautiful climbing plant, with leaves divided like the fingers of a hand, and large flowers and fruit, both green and ripe.  The ripe fruit was as big as a duck’s egg, and the same shape, and of a shining yellow colour.  Reaching up his hand he began to feel the smooth lovely fruit, when, being very ripe, it came off its stem into his hand.  It smelt very nice, and then, in his hunger, he bit through the smooth rind with his teeth, and it tasted as nice as it looked.  He quickly ate it, and then pulled another and ate that, and then another, and still others, until he could eat no more.  He had not had so delicious a meal for many a long day.