cave. Now that there was a respectable path, the undertaking
did not seem so foolish as in the days when Beta had gone scrambling up
the rocks, nobody knew whither. So they laughingly consented to go, more
to please Beta, whom they had learned to love, than with any
expectation of seeing a real giant at the end of the journey. Therefore
they were greatly astonished when, after much climbing, a sudden turn in
the road brought them face to face with a being five times as large as
an ordinary man, whose strong hands looked as if they might easily crush
any one of them, yet whose kindly face re-assured them.

The great giant received them pleasantly, as they were little Beta's
friends, and soon they were eagerly plying him with all sorts of
questions. "Did he know those strange creatures, the centaurs, whose
bodies were half man and half horse? They had heard that these centaurs
lived somewhere among the mountains, and that they could teach any boy
how to become a great hero. Had he ever ridden on the back of Pegasus,
the flying horse, whom none but giants could ride without tumbling off?
Did he ever drink from the fountain of youth which had the power to keep
mortals from growing old? Was it true that he could change the dirt
beneath their feet into golden money?" All these and many other
questions they asked him and to each he gave an answer.

That night, when they returned to the village, they could talk of
nothing else but the wonderful giant whose home was near the mountain
top. Next day a larger number of the villagers climbed the mountain to
the cave, and each succeeding day more were persuaded to make the
journey, until everybody in the little valley, that is, everybody who
could climb, had visited the lame giant. Then they began to discuss how
they could open a road up the mountain to the cave. Finally they decided
to unite together and build a broad, winding road, one wide enough to
let horses and vehicles pass each other. "Then," said they, "we can take
our dear old grandsires and granddames and even our little children up
to the good giant that he may teach them also."

Soon the whole village was humming with the sound of pickaxe and spade.
Everybody worked and everybody was eager and happy in the work. It took
a long time, several years, in fact, before the road was completed, but
it was done at last and it proved a greater blessing than they had
anticipated, for not only could they now drive up the mountain t