eans have furnished himself with sufficient food for two or
three days. But not knowing the art, he had placed all the pieces over
the fire at once, believing, doubtless, like many other hungry people,
that he could eat them all at one meal. Before, however, he had eaten
half of one leg, he felt gorged; and feeling tired, put out the fire,
raked all the ashes away, and when the fire-place had cooled somewhat,
he laid himself down, with his legs coiled, and went to sleep.

In the morning, before starting on his journey again, he ate the other
half of the leg, out of which he had formed his supper, and tying the
other three legs together, he descended the tree and resumed his march.

During that day he was more bent upon walking than upon anything else;
consequently he made a good day's march. At night, when he began to eat
his supper, perched, like the night before, in the fork of a great tree,
he perceived the meat was tainted, but as he had no other means of
gratifying his hunger, he suppressed the rising nausea, and contentedly
ate the ill-smelling meat.

In the morning the meat swarmed with maggots, and he tossed it from him
with disgust, and, without breakfast, resumed his journey. During the
morning he travelled, at noon he rested; and for a couple of hours in
the afternoon he contrived to hold on, until, faint with hunger, he was
compelled to halt and go to sleep supperless also.

Another day dawned, and Selim, descending from his perch, resolutely
determined upon prosecuting his journey. The forest was unusually
silent and deserted; not an animal crossed his path; a few kites alone
hovered above. Hour after hour he dragged his weakened legs along till
the sun was sinking over the western horizon. He had seen no water on
this day, and thirst sharply and severely attacked his frame.

And still another day dawned. Hunger and thirst had made great inroads
on his strength, and had begun to sap his resolution. If he had but
known that a few hours ahead of him lay the corn-fields of the Watuta
villages, or if he had but known that only a mile north of the line he
traversed lay the road over which Ferodia's caravan had travelled two
days before! But enveloped round about by the great forest, to which
there seemed to be no end, he knew nothing,--tiny mite that he was,
alongside of one of those straight-stemmed and towering trees,--beyond
the thin line of vision which his low stature permitted him. Could he