Then she rose up to receive the Serpent King . The monster rushed into the room , and threw itself panting on the bed , crying : ` I 've flown half over the world . I 'm tired , VERY tired , and want to sleep -- scratch my head . ' The beautiful girl sat down near him , stroking his hideous head , and said in a sweet coaxing voice : ` You know everything in the world . After you left , I had such a wonderful dream . Will you tell me what it means ? ' ` Out with it then , quick ! What was it ? ' ' I dreamt I was walking on a wide road , and an oak tree said to me : `` Ask the king this : Rotten at the roots , half dead , and yet green stands the old oak . Is it to stand much longer on the earth ? '' ' ` It must stand till some one comes and pushes it down with his foot . Then it will fall , and under its roots will be found more gold and silver than even Mark the Rich has got . ' ` Then I dreamt I came to a river , and the old ferryman said to me : `` For thirty year 's the ferryman has rowed to and fro . Will the tired old man have to row much longer ? '' ' ` That depends on himself . If some one gets into the boat to be ferried across , the old man has only to push the boat off , and go his way without looking back . The man in the boat will then have to take his place . ' ` And at last I dreamt that I was walking over a bridge made of a whale 's back , and the living bridge spoke to me and said : `` Here have I been stretched out these three years , and men and horses have trampled my back down into my ribs . Must I lie here much longer ? '' ' ` He will have to lie there till he has thrown up the twelve ships of Mark the Rich which he swallowed .
Then he may plunge back XXXXX the sea and heal his back . '
After If across into of on than till under without