ough walking.

[3]. After I had advanced a good while I came finally to a lovely
meadow hedged about with a round circle of fruit bearing trees,
and called by the dwellers _Pratum felicitatis_ [the meadow of
felicity], I was in the midst of a company of old men with beards
as gray as ice, except for one who was quite a young man with a
pointed black beard. Also there was among them one whose name was
well known to me, but his visage I could not yet see, who was
still younger, and they debated on all kinds of subjects,
particularly about a great and lofty mystery, hidden in Nature,
which God kept concealed from the great world, and revealed to
only a few who loved him.

[4]. I listened long and their discourse pleased me well, only
some would break forth from restraint, not touching upon the
matter or work, but what touched upon the parables, similitudes
and other parerga, in which they followed the poetic fancies of
Aristotle, Pliny and others which the one had copied from the
other. So I could contain myself no longer and mixed in my own
mustard, [put in my own word], refuted such trivial things from
experience, and the majority sided with me, examined me in their
faculty and made it quite hot for me. However the foundation of my
knowledge was so good, that I passed with all honors, whereupon
they all were amazed, unanimously included and admitted me in
their collegium, of which I was heartily glad.

[5]. But they said I could not be a real colleague till I learned
to know their lion, and became thoroughly acquainted with his
powers and abilities. For that purpose I should use diligence so
as to subdue him. I was quite confident in myself and promised
them I would do my best. For their company pleased me so well that
I would not have parted from them for a great deal.

[6]. They led me to the lion and described him very carefully, but
what I should undertake with him none could tell me. Some of them
indeed hinted, but very darkly, so that the (Der Tausende)
Thousandth one could not have understood him. But when I should
first succeed in subduing him and should have assured myself
against his sharp claws, and keen teeth, then they would conceal
nothing from me. Now the lion was very old, ferocious and large,
his yellow hair hung over his neck, he appeared quite
unco