THE BROAD MAN 159

So saying he puffed himself out till he formed a barricade
from one side of the road to the other.

“Bravo!” cried Matthias, delighted at this proof of his
capacities. ‘By the way, would you mind coming with
me? I, too, am travelling across the world in search of
happiness.”

“Tf there is nothing bad in it I am quite willing,” answered
Broad. And they continued their journey together.

A little further on they met a very slender man, frightfully
thin, and tall and straight as a portico.

“Whither are you going, good man?” asked Matthias,
filled with curiosity at his strange appearance.

“T am travelling about the world.”

“To what profession do you belong?”

“To no profession, but I know something every one else is
ignorant of. I am called Za//, and with good reason. For
without leaving the earth I can stretch out and reach up to the
clouds. When I walk I clear a mile at each step.”

Without more ado he lengthened himself out until his
head was lost in the clouds, while he really cleared a mile at
each step.

“T like that, my fine fellow,” said Matthias. ‘Come, would
you not like to travel with us?”

“Why not?” replied he. ‘T’ll come.”

So they proceeded on their way together. While passing
through a forest they saw a man placing trunks of trees one
upon another.

“What are you trying to do there?” asked Matthias, ad-
dressing him.

“JT have Eyes of Flame,” said he, “and I am building a