The king, when Nameless stood before him, said, ‘Twenty years ago there was in our city a spring whose water made every one that drank of it grow young. The spring has vanished, and only the Sun-King knows where it is gone to. You are journeying to him, so ask him where it is gone to, and bring us word.’
Nameless promised him to bring word on his return, and departed. Some days after he came to another city, and there another old man met him and asked, ‘Whither away?’
‘To the Sun-King,’ said Nameless.
‘That’s capital. Come, I’ll bring you to our king, who’ll have something to say to you.’
When they came to the king, the king said, ‘Twenty years ago a tree in this city bore golden apples; whoso ate of those apples grew strong and healthy, and died not. But now for twenty years this tree has put forth no more fruit, and only the Sun-King knows the reason why. So when you come to him, ask him about it, and bring us word.’
Nameless promised him to bring word on his return, and [[136]]departed. Some days after he reached a great mountain, and there saw an old lady in white sitting in front of a beautiful house. She asked him, ‘Whither away?’
‘I seek the Sun-King,’ said Nameless.
‘Come in then,’ said the old lady. ‘I am the mother of the Sun-King, who daily flies out of this house as a little child, at mid-day becomes a man, and returns of an evening a greybeard.’
She brought Nameless into the house, and made him tell her his story. He told her of the man on the black lake, of the spring, and of the tree that used to bear golden apples.
Then said the old lady, ‘I will ask my son all about that. But come, let me hide you; for if my son finds you here he’ll burn you up.’