her to care for them until such time as he should need them.
His mother was sore afraid, and said, "Son, the boar is very fierce. He will surely fall upon us and slay us."
'We shall see," said the lad. "Cook me some food, that I may eat."
His mother did as he had bidden her, and set food before him and he ate, and set forth to fight with the boar. When he reached the platform nearest to the den he stood upon it and brake the fastening of the bundle of spears which lay there. Then he launched a dart into the den where the beast lurked. The monster rushed out on feeling the prick of the spear as it fell upon him, and the lad at the same moment cast the spears which were in his hand at the boar, who shook them off as though they had been but dead leaves. The lad turned to fly, and the boar followed, tracking him by the shadow which fell upon the ground beside the platform.
But before harm was done the boy had leapt to the next platform, where lay a fresh bundle of spears, and he hasted to loosen the cord which bound them, and hurled them upon the foe. The spears were many and sharp; nevertheless the boar shook them off and continued to chase the boy, tearing up the ground on which lay his shadow. Again the boy fled to another platform, and to yet another, until at last he leapt upon the one which he had built outside the house where his mother lived.
