THE GREEN SNAKE BECOMES LUMINOUS AND TALKS WITH THE GOLD KING

Now in the Chasm lay the fair green Snake, who was roused from her sleep by the gold coming chinking down. No sooner did she fix her eye on the glittering coins, than she ate them all up, with the greatest relish, on the spot; and carefully picked out such pieces as were scattered in the chinks of the rock.

Scarcely had she swallowed them, when, with extreme delight, she began to feel the metal melting in her inwards, and spreading all over her body; and soon, to her lively joy, she observed that she was grown transparent and luminous.

In the Chasm, where she often crawled hither and thither, she had made a strange discovery. To her  no small wonder, in a rock which was closed on every side, she had come on certain objects which betrayed the shaping hand of man. She believed she could illuminate the whole of that subterranean vault by her own light; and hoped to get acquainted by these curious things at once.

She gazed around with eager curiosity. With astonishment and reverence she looked up into a glancing niche, where the image of an august King stood formed of pure Gold. In size the figure was beyond the stature of man, but by its shape it seemed the likeness of a little rather than a tall person. His handsome body was encircled with an unadorned mantle; and a garland of oak bound his hair together.

No sooner had the Snake beheld this reverend figure, than the King began to speak, and asked: "Whence comest thou?"

"From the chasms where the gold dwells," said the Snake.

"What is grander than gold?" inquired the King.

"Light," replied the Snake.

"What is more refreshing than light?" said he.

"Conversation," answered she.

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An audio recording of this scene is shown as Episode 3 of www.tgsatbl.blogspot.com