on getting closer to it he found that it was not a fire at all but a huge golden door that shone with intense brightness. He thought with a certain amount of shame, “Alas, I have been worshipping a mere door of gold as if it were fire. But perhaps I shall find the god of fire within this room.” Then he approached the door, and no sooner had he touched it than it was blown open by a strong gust of wind. On entering he saw a wonderful sight. A huge room filled with white light in the middle of which, glowing like a blazing fire, stood a horse with large wide-open eyes. By its side a strong man was standing, while surrounding it on all sides were six beautifully dressed boys dancing wildly and every moment throwing off one dress and putting on a new one. Sitting a little distance away were two exquisitely beautiful damsels on golden thrones busily weaving cloth upon a loom with threads of two colours, one bright like the golden colour of their bodies, the other jet black like their hair. They were every moment throwing the cloth on to the bodies of the boys, who, laughing merrily, kept picking up this cloth and putting it on. On one side two guards were standing motionless.
Utonka became more and more astonished as
