Then again the light seemed to fade from before his eyes, and he looked up, and, behold, a mist, of the colour of blood, had come over the sun; and the bank of black cloud had risen very high, and its edges were tossing and tumbling like the waves of an angry sea.  And they cast long shadows, which flickered over Schwartz’s path.

Then Schwartz climbed for another hour, and again his thirst returned; and as he lifted his flask to his lips, he thought he saw his brother Hans lying exhausted on the path before him; and, as he gazed, the figure stretched its arms to him, and cried for water.  “Ha, ha,” laughed Schwartz, “are you there?  Remember the prison bars, my boy.  Water indeed!  Do you suppose I carried it all the way up here for you?” And he strode over the figure; yet, as he passed, he thought he saw a strange expression of mockery about its lips.  And, when he had gone a few yards farther, he looked back; but the figure was not there.

And a sudden horror came over Schwartz, he knew not why; but the thirst for gold prevailed over his fear, and he rushed on.  And the bank of black cloud rose to the zenith, and out of it came bursts of spiry lightning, and waves of darkness seemed to heave and float between their flashes over the whole heavens.  And the sky where the sun was setting was all level, and like a lake of blood; and a strong wind came out of that sky, tearing its crimson clouds into fragments, and scattering them far into the darkness.  And when Schwartz stood by the brink of the Golden River, its waves were black, like thunder clouds, but their foam was like fire; and the roar of the waters below, and the thunder above, met, as he cast the flask into the stream.  And, as he did so, the lightning glared into his eyes, and the earth gave way beneath him, and the waters closed over his cry.  And the moaning of the river rose wildly into the night, as it gushed over the Two Black Stones.

V.—­HOW LITTLE GLUCK SET OFF ON AN EXPEDITION TO THE GOLDEN RIVER, AND HOW HE PROSPERED THEREIN; WITH OTHER MATTERS OF INTEREST

When Gluck found that Schwartz did not come back he was very sorry, and did not know what to do.  He had no money, and was obliged to go and hire himself again to the goldsmith, who worked him very hard, and gave him very little money.  So, after a month or two, Gluck grew tired, and made up his mind to go and try his fortune with the Golden River.  “The little king looked very kind,” thought he.  “I don’t think he will turn me into a black stone.”  So he went to the priest, and the priest gave him some holy water as soon as he asked for it.  Then Gluck took some bread in his basket, and the bottle of water, and set off very early for the mountains.