the world who would not find their burden in that club. And he is
not a comely man, but on the contrary he is exceedingly ill-favoured;
and he is the woodward of that wood. And thou wilt see a thousand
wild animals grazing around him. Inquire of him the way out of the
glade, and he will reply to thee briefly, and will point out the road
by which thou shalt find that which thou art in quest of.'

"And long seemed that night to me. And the next morning I arose and
equipped myself, and mounted my horse, and proceeded straight through
the valley to the wood; and I followed the cross-road which the man
had pointed out to me, till at length I arrived at the glade. And
there was I three times more astonished at the number of wild animals
that I beheld, than the man had said I should be. And the black man
was there, sitting upon the top of the mound. Huge of stature as the
man had told me that he was, I found him to exceed by far the
description he had given me of him. As for the iron club which the
man had told me was a burden for two men, I am certain, Kai, that it
would be a heavy weight for four warriors to lift; and this was in
the black man's hand. And he only spoke to me in answer to my
questions. Then I asked him what power he held over those animals.
'I will show thee, little man,' said he. And he took his club in his
hand, and with it he struck a stag a great blow so that he brayed
vehemently, and at his braying the animals came together, as numerous
as the stars in the sky, so that it was difficult for me to find room
in the glade to stand among them. There were serpents, and dragons,
and divers sorts of animals. And he looked at them, and bade them go
and feed; and they bowed their heads, and did him homage as vassals
to their lord.

"Then the black man said to me, 'Seest thou now, little man, what