ing indeed,
although my heart misgave me." And he pulled down his temple and built
a new one; and then the younger son was married to the maid.

In the meantime the elder son rode into the world to find the
touchstone of the trial of truth; and whenever he came to a place of
habitation, he would ask the men if they had heard of it. And in every
place the men answered: "Not only have we heard of it, but we alone
of all men possess the thing itself, and it hangs in the side of our
chimney to this day." Then would the elder son be glad, and beg for a
sight of it. And sometimes it would be a piece of mirror, that showed
the seeming of things, and then he would say: "This can never be, for
there should be more than seeming." And sometimes it would be a lump
of coal, which showed nothing; and then he would say: "This can never
be, for at least there is the seeming." And sometimes it would be a
touchstone indeed, beautiful in hue, adorned with polishing, the light
inhabiting its sides; and when he found this, he would beg the thing,
and the persons of that place would give it him, for all men were very
generous of that gift; so that at the last he had his wallet full of
them, and they chinked together when he rode; and when he halted by
the side of the way, he would take them out and try them, till his
head turned like the sails upon a windmill.

"A murrain upon this business!" said the elder son, "for I perceive no
end to it. Here I have the red, and here the blue and the green; and
to me they seem all excellent, and yet shame each other. A murrain on
the trade! If it were not for the King that is a priest, and whom I
have called my father, and if it were not for the fair maid of the dun
that makes my mouth to sing and my heart enlarge, I would even tumble
them all into the salt sea, and go home and be a King like other
folk."

But he was like the hunter that has seen a stag upon a mountain, so
that the night may fall, and the fire be kindled, and the lights shine
in his house, but desire of that stag is single in his bosom.

Now after many years the elder son came upon the sides of the salt
sea; and it was night, and a savage place, and the clamor of the sea
was loud. There he was aware of a house, and a man that sat there by
the light of a candle, for he had no fire. Now the elder son came in
to him, and the man gave him water to drink, for he had no bread; and
wagged his head when he was spoken to, for he had no words.