For perhaps the first time in his life his thoughts did not instantly turn to money . It was not on his lost treasures that his mind dwelt , but on his conduct to his parents : his laziness and disobedience as a boy ; his forgetfulness of them as a man . ` If wild animals were to come and tear me to pieces , ' he said to himself bitterly , ` it would be only what I deserve ! My gains are all at the bottom of the sea -- well ! lightly won , lightly lost -- but it is odd that I feel I should not care for that if only my pipes were left me . ' Then he rose and walked a little further , till he saw a tree with great red apples shining amidst the leaves , and he pulled some down , and ate them greedily . After that he stretched himself out on the soft moss and went to sleep . In the morning he ran to the nearest stream to wash himself , but to his horror , when he caught sight of his face , he saw his nose had grown the colour of an apple , and reached nearly to his waist . He started back thinking he was dreaming , and put up his hand ; but , alas ! the dreadful thing was true . ` Oh , why does not some wild beast devour me ? ' he cried to himself ; ` never , never , can I go again amongst my fellow-men ! If only the sea had swallowed me up , how much happier it had been for me ! ' And he hid his head in his hands and wept . His grief was so violent , that it exhausted him , and growing hungry he looked about for something to eat . Just above him was a bough of ripe , brown nuts , end he picked them and ate a handful . To his surprise , as he was eating them , he felt his nose grow shorter and shorter , and after a while he ventured to feel it with his hand , and even to look in the stream again ! Yes , there was no mistake , it was as short as before , or perhaps a little shorter . In his joy at this discovery Tiidu did a very bold thing . He took one of the apples out of his pocket , and cautiously bit a piece out of it .
XXXXX an instant his nose was as long as his chin , and in a deadly fear lest it should stretch further , he hastily swallowed a nut , and awaited the result with terror .
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