Then, O King of the Western Island, I was in a danger greater than I am in now. This snake was mighty enough to crush a man, and from that pit there was no escape without help, and at that moment there was no help. The snake raised itself higher, and its eyes fastened my eyes. Judge, then, of my danger, and whether it was not greater than the danger I am in now as I sit here with the gleam of the slaying sword before my eyes. And then I heard a whisper that seemed to come to me from the sky. I drew my eyes from the snake’s eyes and I looked to the top of the pit. One was bending from the opening--a girl, and she had in her hands a little drum. She began to beat on the drum, and the snake’s head that was swaying toward me began to sway sideways. The girl beat again on the drum, and the snake’s head swayed and swayed and went down upon its coils. At last the dreadful head was at rest, and the eyes of the snake no longer fastened themselves upon my eyes. The girl who stood above the pit put down a board for me to climb up by. I climbed, and I stood outside the pit, and I looked upon the girl, and I saw the blue heron’s feathers laid across her breast. Then I sank down on the ground, and for a while I knew no more of the world’s happenings. VII. AGAIN THE HORSES OF KING MANUS It was as if the eyes of the snake were still upon him. Eean stopped in his story, and his eyes were wide as if they looked upon a terrible thing. One of the servers brought him a cup of wine and placed it in his hands, but although he kept his fingers around it, he did not raise it to his lips. Nor did he appear to hear what was being said around the King’s supper table: “A great danger the boy was in, truly.” “The danger he is in now is not as great as the danger he has told us of.” “We must hear the end of this story.” “It seems that he is too fearful to tell us any more.” This last speech came to the ears of King Manus. “Be not so fearful, boy,” said the King. “You have been in a greater danger than ever I heard a man speak of, and by my sword, you are in less danger now than you were then. Drink the wine that is in it and keep the cup you have for a remembrance. I would have you at your ease, too, for we will sit here and listen to the rest of your story.” When the King said this the lords who were sitting around the supper board applauded, and then the stewards signed to the attendants to bring more lights in. Fresh candles were put upon the board, and fresh torches were put into the sconces, and fresh logs were put upon the hearth. When all this was done the King and his lords turned their faces to Eean, for they were ready to listen to the rest of the story. But the boy had not seated himself in the story-teller’s chair: still he was standing with the wine cup between his hands, and still his eyes were widened as if a terrible thing was before him.