Nebuchadnezzar was shocked at first, but soon he forgot all about the
dream, and felt himself so wise and strong and brave, that nothing
could hurt him. He was walking one day in his palace, a most beautiful
one, and looking out on the grand city with the river running through
it, with all the bridges and the hundred brazen gates; and his heart
was lifted up with pride, and he said, "Is not this great Babylon that
I have builded?" That very moment there came a voice from heaven that
said the time was come!
And a strange madness came on the king, his brave clever spirit became
as senseless as a beast's; and he only wanted to graze in the field
like the cattle. So they drove him out of the palace, and put a band
of iron round him, and let him eat grass like an ox, and his hair grew
long and shaggy, and his nails like eagles' claws, just as Daniel had
said.
So seven years passed away; and at the end of them he came to his
senses again, God gave back his man's heart and his reason, and he went
back to his palace, and sat on his throne again. And one of the first
things he did was to have a letter written to his people, telling them
all this story, and bidding them do honor to the God of Daniel, who
putteth down and setteth up.