From that moment he felt he could not rest till these hidden secrets were laid bare to him , and he spent his whole time wandering from one wizard to another , begging them to open his eyes , but found none to help him . At length he reached an old magician called Mana , whose learning was greater than that of the rest , and who could tell him all he wanted to know . But when the old man had listened attentively to him , he said , warningly : ` My son , do not follow after empty knowledge , which will not bring you happiness , but rather evil . Much is hidden from the eyes of men , because did they know everything their hearts would no longer be at peace . Knowledge kills joy , therefore think well what you are doing , or some day you will repent . But if you will not take my advice , then truly I can show you the secrets of the night . Only you will need more than a man 's courage to bear the sight . ' He stopped and looked at the young man , who nodded his head , and then the wizard continued , ` To-morrow night you must go to the place where , once in seven years , the serpent-king gives a great feast to his whole court . In front of him stands a golden bowl filled with goats ' milk , and if you can manage to dip a piece of bread in this milk , and eat it before you are obliged to fly , you will understand all the secrets of the night that are hidden from other men . It is lucky for you that the serpent-king 's feast happens to fall this year , otherwise you would have had long to wait for it . But take care to be quick and bold , or it will be the worse for you . ' The young man thanked the wizard for his counsel , and went his way firmly resolved to carry out his purpose , even if he paid for it with his life ; and when night came he set out for a wide , lonely moor , where the serpent-king held his feast . With sharpened eyes , he looked eagerly all round him , but could see nothing but a multitude of small hillocks , that lay motionless under the moonlight . He crouched behind a bush for some time , till he felt that midnight could not be far off , when suddenly there arose in the middle of the moor a brilliant glow , as if a star was shining over one of the hillocks . At the same moment all the hillocks began to writhe and to crawl , and from each one came hundreds of serpents and made straight for the glow , where they knew they should find their king . When they reached the hillock where he dwelt , which was higher and broader than the rest , and had a bright light hanging over the top , they coiled themselves up and waited . The whirr and confusion from all the serpent-houses were so great that the youth did not dare to advance one step , but remained where he was , watching intently all that went on ; but at last he began to take courage , and moved on softly step by step . What he saw was creepier than creepy , and surpassed all he had ever dreamt of . Thousands of snakes , big and little and of every colour , were gathered together in one great cluster round a huge serpent , whose body was as thick as a beam , and which had on its head a golden crown , from which the light sprang . Their hissings and darting tongues so terrified the young man that his heart sank , and he felt he should never have courage to push on to certain death , when suddenly he caught sight of the golden bowl in front of the serpent-king , and knew that if he lost this chance it would never come back .
So , with his hair standing XXXXX end and his blood frozen in his veins , he crept forwards .
From With at behind in of on over than till