By degrees, however, his eyes became accustomed to the scanty light.
He was lying on his back, looking up towards the ceiling, when suddenly he beheld the dim apparition of a white cow moving slowly over his head! Ben started, and rubbed his eyes in the greatest amazement.
"What can this mean ?" thought he.
The white cow disappeared; and next came several pigs, which trotted along the ceiling and vanished into the darkness of the chamber.

So lifelike did these grunters look that Ben almost seemed to hear them squeak.
"Well, this is very strange!" said Ben to himself.
When the people of the house came to see him, Benjamin told them of the marvellous circumstance which had occurred.

But they would not believe him.
"Benjamin, thou art surely out of thy senses!" cried they.

"How is it possible that a white cow and a litter of pigs should be visible on the ceiling of a dark chamber ?" Ben, however, had great confidence in his own eyesight, and was determined to search the mystery to the bottom.

For this purpose, when he was again left alone, he got out of bed and examined the window-shutters.