“Is it a fish?” asked Ray. Stanzill shook his head.
“Is it a bird?”
Again Stanzill shook his head and said, “Now you have just one more guess, if you wish I can tell you the right answer, but if I do, you can never see the enchanted horse.”
“Then don’t tell me,” said Ray. “I’ll try very hard to guess it this time.”
“You may have a day to guess it,” said Stanzill. “I shall leave you now, but to-morrow meet me at this spot; if you have the answer, you shall have the enchanted horse; if not, you will never see me again.”
Stanzill disappeared and Ray sat on the grass to think of the answer to the riddle. He repeated the words of the riddle slowly.
“What can it be?” said Ray to himself, and looking up he chanced to see a pond of water in the center of the field. He ran over to the pond and taking off his shoes and stockings he waded in the edge of the pond. The water was smooth as glass, and all of a sudden Ray saw his own image reflected in the shining surface. Ray smiled and his shadow smiled back, then he clapped his hands and the boy in the pond did the same.
“Now I know,” said Ray, and he jumped out of the water and put on his shoes and stockings. He started to run and never stopped till he reached a stone tower on a hill. Ray ran into the tower and shouted “Hello!” “Hello!” shouted the echo, “I am Ray,” shouted the boy “I am Ray,” shouted the echo.
Ray was delighted; he ran out of the tower and down the hill to wait for Stanzill. In a few moments he saw the boy appear. Stanzill approached and said: