Smith listened with great attention to the remarks made by his ancient friend, and lost no time in qualifying {022}himself to be the recipient of the desired information by destroying the requisite number of snakes. That very evening his art as a snake-charmer was so successfully practised, that more than fifty of the creatures lay twisting and writhing in front of the toads’ favourite trees, and were presently dispatched by vigorous blows from the stalwart arm of Smith. [Illustration: 035] This feat having been performed, he requested the venerable toad to impart the proverb upon which so much might depend. The worthy old gentleman was nothing loath, and, having given an exulting croak over the bodies of his slain foemen, spat twice in the air for joy, and proceeded to administer the toad-oath, which pledged Smith to strive his utmost to perform some task as yet unknown. Great, however, was his delight at finding that this task was {023}none other than the very one to which he had already determined to devote his life, namely, the destruction of the Great Boar. And thus ran the proverb:-- “Blood of slayer and of slain Must together blended be Ere the Boar’s detested reign Cease, and Windsor shall be free.” These words having been pronounced by the toad with due solemnity, he again went through the apparently unnecessary, not to say unpleasant, process of spitting twice, after which he quietly subsided, and crept under a large root, with a view to a long nap, which might last for a day, a year, or a century, as the humour took him.