THE FIEST MAN 



place where he started, and that the ground 

 seemed very soft and moved up and down under 

 his feet. 



After a while he had an unpleasant feeling in 

 his stomach, and stooped down to take water in 

 his mouth from a small pool at his feet. The 

 water ran down into his stomach and he felt bet- 

 ter. When he looked up again, he saw a big dark 

 object coming through the air with a waving mo- 

 tion. It came on until it was just in front of him 

 when it stopped and, standing on the ground, 

 looked at him. 



This was a Raven, and as soon as it stopped it 

 raised one of its wings, pushed up its beak like a 

 mask, to the top of its head, and changed at once 

 into a man. Before he raised his mask, the Raven 

 had stared at the Man and now he stared more 

 than ever, moving about from side to side to ob- 

 tain a better view. At last he said: 



" What are you? Where did you come from? 

 I have never seen anything like you." 



He looked again and said, " You are so much 

 like me in shape that you surprise me." 



Presently he said, " Walk away a few steps so 

 that I may see you more clearly. I am aston- 

 ished at you ! I have never before seen anything 

 like you. Where did you come from? " 



53 



