Page:Tales from the Fjeld.djvu/324

302 and so he took the sword and the flask, and got on the ass, and bade the dragons follow him, and carry the meat, and grain, and nails which he had.

So when they had been a while on the way, and had travelled far, far away over land and strand, the ass said one day—

"Do you see anything?"

"I see naught," said Boots, "but land and water, and bare sky and high crags."

So they went on far and farther than far, and then the ass said again—

"Do you see anything now?"

"Yes;" when he had looked well before him, he saw something a long, long way off that shone like a little star.

"It will be big enough by-and-bye," said the ass.

When they had gone a good bit still, the ass asked—

"Do you see anything now?"

"Now I see it shining like a moon," said the lad.

"Ay, ay!" said the ass, and on they went.

So when they had gone far and farther than far, away over land and strand, and hill and heath, the ass asked

"Do you see anything now?"

"Now, methinks," said Boots, "it shines most like the sun."

"Ay," said the ass, "that's the golden castle for which we are bound; but outside it lives a worm, which stops the way and keeps watch and ward."

"I think I shall be afraid of it," said Boots.

"Oh, don't say so," said the ass; "we must spread over it heaps of boughs, and lay between them layers