Perhaps there is a hole . I will go and look for it , ' and he felt all round the walls of the pit till he found a very little hole in the roof of the pit , with a tiny glimmer of light at the far end of it . Then his heart felt glad , and he took out his knife and dug and dug , till the little hole became a big one , and he could wriggle himself through . And when he had got outside , he saw a large open space in front of him , and a path leading out of it . He went along the path , on and on , till he reached a large house , with a golden door standing open . Inside was a great hall , and in the middle of the hall a throne set with precious stones and a sofa spread with the softest cushions . And he went in and lay down on it , and fell fast asleep , for he had wandered far . By-and-by there was a sound of people coming through the courtyard , and the measured tramp of soldiers . This was the King of the Snakes coming in state to his palace . They entered the hall , but all stopped in surprise at finding a man lying on the king 's own bed . The soldiers wished to kill him at once , but the king said , ` Leave him alone , put me on a chair , ' and the soldiers who were carrying him knelt on the floor , and he slid from their shoulders on to a chair . When he was comfortably seated , he turned to his soldiers , and bade them wake the stranger gently . And they woke him , and he sat up and saw many snakes all round him , and one of them very beautiful , decked in royal robes . ` Who are you ? ' asked Hassebu . ' I am the King of the Snakes , ' was the reply , ` and this is my palace . And will you tell me who you are , and where you come from ? ' ` My name is Hassebu , but whence I come I know not , nor whither I go . ' ` Then stay for a little with me , ' said the king , and he bade his soldiers bring water from the spring and fruits from the forest , and to set them before the guest . For some days Hassebu rested and feasted in the palace of the King of the Snakes , and then he began to long for his mother and his own country .
So he said XXXXX the King of the Snakes , ` Send me home , I pray . '
Inside along at before for in of through till to