‘Beg him to come with us,’ whispered the hermit.
And the strong man answered: ‘Willingly, as long as you give me enough to eat and drink.’ And he came on the ship.
And the youth said to the hermit, ‘Good father, before we were three, and now we are four.’
The ship travelled on again, and some miles further on they saw a man drinking out of a stream till he had nearly drunk it dry.
‘Good father,’ said the youth, ‘just look at that man! Did you ever see anybody drink like that?’
‘Ask him why he does it,’ answered the hermit.
‘Why, there is nothing very odd in taking a mouthful of water!’ replied the man, standing up.
‘Beg him to come with us.’ And the youth did so.
‘With pleasure, as long as you give me enough to eat and drink.’
And the youth whispered to the hermit, ‘Good father, before we were four, and now we are five.’