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And when he came to the Magician's house, the Magician
opened to him, and brought him in, and said to him, "Hast thou the
piece of white gold?" And the Star-Child answered, "I have it not."
So the Magician fell upon him, and beat him, and loaded him with
chains, and set before him an empty trencher, and said, "Eat," and an
empty cup, and said, "Drink," and flung him again into the dungeon.
And on the morrow the Magician came to him, and said, "If to-
day thou bringest me not the piece of yellow gold, I will surely keep
thee as my slave, and give thee three hundred stripes."
So the Star-Child went to the wood, and all day long he
searched for the piece of yellow gold, but nowhere could he find it.
And at sunset he sat him down and began to weep, and as he was
weeping there came to him the little Hare that he had rescued from
the trap.
And the Hare said to him, "Why art thou weeping? And what
dost thou seek in the wood?"
And the Star-Child answered, "I am seeking for a piece of
yellow gold that is hidden here, and if I find it not my master will
beat me, and keep me as a slave."
"Follow me," cried the Hare, and it ran through the wood till it
came to a pool of water. And at the bottom of the pool the piece of
yellow gold was lying.
"How shall I thank thee?" said the Star-Child, "for lo! this is the
second time that you have succoured me."
"Nay, but thou hadst pity on me first," said the Hare, and it ran
away swiftly.
And the Star-Child took the piece of yellow gold, and put it in
his wallet, and hurried to the city. But the leper saw him coming, and
ran to meet him, and knelt down and cried, "Give me a piece of
money or I shall die of hunger."
And the Star-Child said to him, "I have in my wallet but one
piece of yellow gold, and if I bring it not to my master he will beat
me and keep me as his slave."
But the leper entreated him sore, so that the Star-Child had pity
on him, and gave him the piece of yellow gold.
And when he came to the Magician's house, the Magician
opened to him, and brought him in, and said to him, "Hast thou the
piece of yellow gold?" And the Star-Child said to him, "I have not."