“Once every seven years, the King of Snakes holds a great festival with his court.  Placed before the Snake King, you will find a golden bowl filled with the milk of a sky goat.  If you can dip a piece of bread into the milk and eat it without being caught by the snakes, then all the hidden secrets of the night will be revealed to you.  Luckily, the great festival of the snakes will be held this year, or else you would have to wait for seven long years.  Act fast, or you will never succeed.”

The youth was determined to accomplish what he was told, even if it cost him his life.

As the wizard told him, at twilight he went to a vast marsh where the festival was to take place.  The moon was just rising, and in its dim light the youth looked curiously, expecting to see something strange.  But nothing unusual attracted his attention.  All he could see was a number of hillocks.

He waited and watched, when suddenly, just about midnight, a bright, dazzling light flashed in the middle of the marsh.  At once all the hillocks around him started to move.  Out of each hillock slithered hundreds of snakes crawling toward the light.

At first the youth was paralyzed with terror, but little by little he recovered his courage and crept closer, slowly, step by step.  The horrible sight terrified him: Hundreds of snakes, large and small, and of all colors, hung in clusters around a huge snake.  On the head of the snake was a shining golden crown, which shone with the bright light the youth had seen from afar.  Hundreds of snakes lifted their heads and hissed like angry geese, until the air was full of a deafening noise.  The youth doubted if he could carry out his plan.

As he stood there, he noticed the golden bowl before the Snake King, and his heart seemed to stop beating.  Without thinking, he jumped over the mass of snakes.  Hundreds of jaws opened, and the awful creatures hissed and raised their heads to bite him, but they were tangled together and could not uncoil themselves fast enough.

Quick as a flash of lightning, the youth dipped a piece of bread into the golden bowl, put it in his mouth, and ran in the opposite direction as fast as his legs could carry him.

Exhausted and out of breath, he fell to the ground.  A restless sleep overcame him.  He dreamed that the Snake King had caught him and was ready to swallow him.  With a cry of fear, he awoke.