Northwest enterprise. [volume] (Anacortes, Wash. Ter.) 1882-1887, 1884-01-12
A sEBviAN LEGEND.

There was once q shepherd who had
served his master for many years with
as much zeal as fidelity. One day,
while tending his sheep he heard Il
loud kissing which seemed to come from
a neighboring wood. Not knowing
what it could be. he entered the forest,
and followed the sound to find out the
cause of it.
Coming near the place whence it is
sued, he saw that the dry grass and
fallen leaves had taken fire, and in the
middlelof a circle of flames he saw a
serpent, kissing loudly. The shepherd
watched to see what the serpent would
do, for all around the reptile was fame,
and the fire was drawing nearer and
nearer to it.
Suddenly the serpent called out to
the shepherd, "In heavens name, shep-
| herd, save me from the fire." And the
shepherd stretched out his staff to him
over the top of the flames. The ser.
pent coiled itself around the staH
and climbed along to the shepherds
hand, and from his hand passed Oh to
his neck, and coiled around that like a
collar. This made the shepherd afraid
and he said to the serpent:
misfortune for me! Have | saved
thee to my own lOss?"
But the reptile replied:
"Fear nothing, but carry me to my
father, who is king of the serpcnts.
The shepherd began to excuse him.
self, saying that he could not leave his
sheep without a keeper; but the SER
pent answered:
ado not trouble thyself at oil about
the fock: nothing will happen to it, but
do thou go as quickly as thou canst."
Then the shepherd marched of
through the wood with the serpent
about his neck until he came to a gate
way which was formed of interlaced ad-
ders. The serpent hissed, and as soon
as the adders separated and opened a
way, he said to the shepherd, "when
we get to the castle my father will
offer thee anything thou desirest, silver,
gold. jewels, and all that is precious on
earth; accept nothing of all that, ask
only to be able to understand the Ian
guage of animals. He will refuse for q
long time to grant this favor, but will
finally accord 1t to thee"
Thus talking together they rea he'd the
castle, and the father Of the serpent
called out, "In heavens name, my
child, where have you been?" And the
serpent told how he had been surround
sd by fire and how the shepherd had
saved him. The king of the serpents
hen turned to the shepherd and said.
sWhat dost thou wish that she uld
give thee for saving my child" "Teach
me the language of animals" said the
shepherd, al wish nothing more" The
king said to him, "rhat would he worth
nothing to thee, for if l should give
thee to understand their language, and
thou shouldst say anything about it to
anybody, thou wouldst die Immediately"
But the shepherd replied. "If you wish
to rewasJ me teach me the language of
animals, il not, good-by, and heaven
protect you, for wish nothing else; !"
and he made pretense Of leaving.
Then the king recalled him, saying
"Stop! and come here, since thou in
sisted Oh thy desire. Open thy mouth! p
The shepherd opened his mouth and the
serpent blew into it and said: "Now do
thou blow in turn into mine. "And"
when the shepherd had done as he was
told, the king of the serpents blew into
his mouth q second time. And when
they had each thus blown three times,
the king said to him, "Now thou under
standeth the language of animals; may
God keep you, and take care, as you
value your life, never to betIay the Be-
cret, for if you speak word of it to any
one you will drop dead instantly"
The shepherd then took his leave,
and az he passed through the wood he
heard and understood all that was said
by the birds and the cattle and wild ami
mails, and even the trees and plants,
and all that is on the earth. When he
reached his flock he found it safe and in
good order, and then he lay: down on the
ground to rest.
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