After this he seemed to go to sleep again for a few minutes, then woke up as a man does from a natural slumber, yawned and stretched himself.
"Speak," said his audience, with great anxiety.

"Have you seen?
Have you heard?
What does your Snake tell you of me?
Of me?
Of me?
Of me ?" "I have seen, I have heard," he answered.

"My Snake tells me that this will be a very dangerous journey.

Of those who go on it six will die by the bullet, by the spear or by sickness, and others will be hurt." "_Ow ?_" said one of them, "but which will die and which will come out safe?
Does not your Snake tell you that, O Doctor ?" "Yes, of course my Snake tells me that.

But my Snake tells me also to hold my tongue on the matter, lest some of us should be turned to cowards.