When the pilgrim finished speaking, Channa climbed the mountain and
arrived in the vicinity of the castle quite out of breath. There she
waited till Time came out. He was an old man with a long beard, he wore
a cloak and carried a scythe, and he had large wings that bore him
swiftly out of sight.
Channa now entered the castle, and though she gave a start of fright
when she saw the strange old woman, she hastened to seize the weights of
the clock and tell what she wanted.
The old woman at once called loudly to her son, but Channa said, "You
will not see your son while I hold these clock-weights."
Thereupon the old woman began to coax Channa, saying: "Let go of them,
my dear. Do not stop my son's course. No one has ever done that before.
Let go of the weights, and may Heaven reward you."
"You are wasting your breath," Channa responded. "You must say something
better than that if you would have me quit my hold."
"Well then," the old woman said, "hide behind the door, and when Time
comes home I will make him tell me all you wish to know. As soon as he
goes out again you can depart."
Channa let go the weights and hid behind the door. Presently Time came
flying in, and his mother repeated to him the maiden's questions.
[Illustration: _Appealing to the Mother of Time_]
In reply he said: "The oak tree will be honored as it was of yore when
men find the treasure that is buried among its roots. The mice will
never be safe from the cat unless they tie a bell to her neck to warn
them when she is coming. The ants will live a hundred years if they will
dispense with flying, for when an ant is going to die it puts on wings.
The whale should make friends with the sea-mouse, who will serve as a
guide so that the monster will never go astray. The doves will resume
their former shape when they fly and alight on the column of riches."
So saying, Time went forth to run his accustomed race. Then Channa bade
the old woman farewell and descended the mountain. She arrived at the
foot just as the seven doves arrived there. Her long absence had made
them anxious, and they had come to look for her. They alighted on the
horn of a dead ox, and at once they changed to the handsome youths they
had been formerly.
While they were marveling at this transformation Channa greeted them and
told them what Time had said. Then they understood that the horn, as the
symbol of plenty, was what he called the column of wealth.
Now they all started on the return journey, taking the same road by
which Channa had come. When they arrived at the old oak and she informed
the tree of what Time had said, the oak begged them to take away the
treasure from its roots. So the seven brothers borrowed tools in a
neighboring village and dug till they unearthed a great heap of gold
money. This they divided into eight parts and shared it between
themselves and their sister.
After according to the oak tree the honor it so much desired they again
tramped along the homeward road, and when they became weary lay down to
sleep under a hedge. Presently they were seen there by a band of robbers
who tied them hand and foot, and carried off their money.
They bewailed the loss of their wealth which had so soon slipped through
their fingers, and they were anxious lest they should perish of
starvation or be devoured by wild beasts. As they were lamenting their
unhappy lot the mouse whom Channa had met appeared. She told it what
Time had said about getting rid of the tyranny of the cats, and the
grateful mouse nibbled the cords with which they were bound till it set
them free.
Somewhat farther on they encountered the ant which listened eagerly
while Channa repeated Time's advice. Then it asked her why she was so
pale and downcast.
So she related how the robbers had tricked them.
"Cheer up," the ant said. "Now I can requite the kindness you have done
me. I know where those robbers hide their plunder. Follow me."
The ant guided them to a group of tumble-down houses and showed them a
pit which the brothers entered. There they found the money which had
been stolen from them, and off they went with it to the seashore. The
whale came to speak with them, and was rejoiced to learn what Time had
said.
While they were talking with the whale, they saw the robbers coming,
armed to the teeth.
"Alas, alas!" they cried, "now we are lost."
"Fear not," the whale said. "I can save you. Get on my back and I will
carry you to a place of safety."
Channa and her brothers climbed on the whale who carried them to within
sight of Naples. There it left them on the shore and they returned to
their old home safe and sound and rich. Thereafter they enjoyed a happy
life, in accord with the old saying, "Do all the good you can and make
no fuss about it."