Walk straight on till you get to the top , and then take all you wish for . ' The young man thanked him for his counsel , and walked , and walked , and walked , till he reached the mountain . And as he climbed he heard behind him scoffs and jeers , but he kept his ears steadily closed to them . At last the noise grew so loud that he lost patience , and he stooped to pick up a stone to hurl into the midst of the clamour , when suddenly his arm seemed to stiffen , and the next moment he was a stone himself ! That day his sister , who thought her brother 's steps were long in returning , took out the knife and found the blade was red as blood . Then she cried out to her brothers that something terrible had come to pass . ' I will go and find him , ' said the second . And he went . And he walked , and he walked , and he walked , till he met the giant , and asked him if he had seen a young man travelling towards the mountain . And the giant answered , ` Yes , I have seen him pass , but I have not seen him come back . The spell must have worked upon him . ' ` Then what can I do to disenchant him , and find the water of life , the talking bird , and a branch of the tree of beauty ? ' ` Follow this path , and when you reach the mountain you will find it covered with stones . Do not stop to look at them , but climb steadily on . Above all , heed not the laughs and scoffs that will arise on all sides , and never turn round . And when you reach the top you can then take all you desire . ' The young man thanked him for his counsel , and set out for the mountain . But no sooner did he reach it than loud jests and gibes broke out on every side , and almost deafened him . For some time he let them rail , and pushed boldly on , till he had passed the place which his brother had gained ; then suddenly he thought that among the scoffing sounds he heard his brother 's voice . He stopped and looked back ; and another stone was added to the number .
Meanwhile the sister left at home was counting the days when her two brothers should return XXXXX her .
For as if in on than that till to upon