SOME ADVENTURES 103

that day he met with no special adven-
tures.

Obstacles met him occasionally in the
shape of walls, thick hedges, houses, and
other such trifles, but the simple expedient
of standing upon his head and repeating the
magic word enabled him to go on with ease
and comfort. Hedges parted asunder, doors
opened in walls, and passages through houses,
so that about dusk he found that he had
made good progress on his journey, and had
earned a good night’s rest. This he obtained
in a barn full of straw, into which he crept,
and though it was the first time he had ever
passed the night in such a place, he slept
well and was up with the lark next morning,
and ready to commence his second day’s
journey. This went off as successfully as
the first, save that he was rather delayed in
the afternoon by a headache which came on,
probably from the constant standing upon
his head which he had undergone. It be-
came so bad that he really did not know
what to do, and began almost to repent of his
undertaking. This, however, was but for a
moment, and coming to a river which he
never could have passed without going