Just as he said that, they heard “Caw, caw.” They jumped back with fright, it sounded so close to them.
Looking around, they saw on a stone fence a big black crow.
He was so big and so black!
“Suppose we ask him,” said Spider Eyes. “We have heard all about him. Everybody says he knows a great deal. It is well we met him. He is just the one to tell us the way to the beautiful world.”
So they gathered courage afresh, and flew to the fence, and sat by the side of the black crow, who was trimming his feathers.
They sat very still, for they were half afraid.
Just as he was pulling one feather out very straight he happened to glance down and spied Spider Eyes.
“Ho, ho! little man, why, who are you? where did you come from? and what do you want?”
“Oh,” answered Spider Eyes, “I am a little elf from Elfland. I and my three brothers wish to see the beautiful world, and you, who fly so high and go so far, can surely tell us where it is.”