` You are right , ' he replied ; ' I had not thought of that ! ' Then they followed the old man , and said to him , ` My eldest brother wishes to seek for the water of life , and the tree of beauty , and the talking bird , that you tell him are needful to make our palace perfect . But how shall we know if any evil thing befall him ? ' So the old man took them a knife , and gave it to them , saying , ` Keep this carefully , and as long as the blade is bright all is well ; but if the blade is bloody , then know that evil has befallen him . ' The brothers thanked him , and departed , and went straight to the palace , where they found the young man making ready to set out for the mountain where the treasures he longed for lay hid . And he walked , and he walked , and he walked , till he had gone a great way , and there he met a giant . ` Can you tell me how much further I have still to go before I reach that mountain yonder ? ' ` And why do you wish to go there ? ' ' I am seeking the water of life , the talking bird , and a branch of the tree of beauty . ' ` Many have passed by seeking those treasures , but none have ever come back ; and you will never come back either , unless you mark my words . Follow this path , and when you reach the mountain you will find it covered with stones . Do not stop to look at them , but keep on your way . As you go you will hear scoffs and laughs behind you ; it will be the stones that mock . Do not heed them ; above all , do not turn round . If you do you will become as one of them . 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 XXXXX pass . '
As At So above behind by for of till to