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 clamour 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.

"Have you the touchstone of truth?" asked the elder son and when the man
had wagged his head, "I might have known that," cried the elder son. "I
have here a wallet full of them!" And with that he laughed, although his
heart was weary.

And with that the man laughed too, and with the fuff of his laughter the
candle went out.

"Sleep," said the man, "for now I think you have come far enough; and
your quest is ended, and my candle is out."

Now when the morning came, the man gave him a clear pebble i