For a long distance the lad traveled, seeing no one and meeting with no adventures. [[53]]At last, however, as he was passing through a fair green meadow, he came upon a man sitting under a tree, and the color of this man’s clothing and of his face and hands was as green as the grass beneath his feet.
“What manner of man are you?” asked Massang, greatly wondering. The man put his head on one side and looked at him slyly out of small green eyes.
“I am a youth,” he said, “of good understanding as this world goes, and I was born as green as the green meadows.”
“Come with me,” said Massang, “and let us live together, for I have need of you.” So the Green Man arose and followed the boy without a word.
After awhile they came to a forest so deep and dark that they had great trouble in making their way through it. And in the very center of it they found a man sitting upon a log under a tree, and the clothing and skin of this man were as black as midnight. [[54]]
“What manner of man are you?” said Massang to him. The man flashed his dark eyes upon him and said:
“I am a youth of good understanding as this world goes, and I was born as black as the black forests.”
“Then come with us,” said the boy, “and we will live together. I have work for you to do.” So the three traveled silently on, through the woods and out again into the open country.
When they had gone a great distance, they reached a region of rocks and sand, very bare and white in the sunshine. As they were traversing this land, they came upon a huge rock, at the foot of which was seated a man clad in linen, very white, and the color of his face and hands was as white as the sand about him.
“What manner of man are you?” asked Massang. The man turned and looked at him, and his eyes were as pale and colorless as his face.