The very iron of the horse 's shoes began to melt , but Petru gave no heed . The sweat ran down his face , but he dried it with his gauntlet . What heat could be he never knew before , and on the way , not a stone 's throw from the road , lay the most delicious valleys , full of shady trees and bubbling streams . When Petru looked at them his heart burned within him , and his mouth grew parched . And standing among the flowers were lovely maidens who called to him in soft voices , till he had to shut his eyes against their spells . ` Come , my hero , come and rest ; the heat will kill you , ' said they . Petru shook his head and said nothing , for he had lost the power of speech . Long he rode in this awful state , how long none can tell . Suddenly the heat seemed to become less , and , in the distance , he saw a little hut on a hill . This was the dwelling of the Goddess of Thunder , and when he drew rein at her door the goddess herself came out to meet him . She welcomed him , and kindly invited him in , and bade him tell her all his adventures . So Petru told her all that had happened to him , and why he was there , and then took farewell of her , as he had no time to lose . ` For , ' he said , ` who knows how far the Fairy of the Dawn may yet be ? ' ` Stay for one moment , for I have a word of advice to give you . You are about to enter the kingdom of Venus ; -LRB- 4 -RRB- go and tell her , as a message from me , that I hope she will not tempt you to delay . On your way back , come to me again , and I will give you something that may be of use to you . ' -LRB- 4 -RRB- ` Vineri ' is Friday , and also ` Venus . ' So Petru mounted his horse , and had hardly ridden three steps when he found himself in a new country . Here it was neither hot nor cold , but the air was warm and soft like spring , though the way ran through a heath covered with sand and thistles . ` What can that be ? '
asked Petru , when he saw a long , long way off , XXXXX the very end of the heath , something resembling a house .
as at for from in like on though with within