A young man wanted to know the secret of life. So he asked a pair of wise, immortal, dolphin-like creatures. The dolphins told him they'd share their wisdom, but only if the young man completed their quest. ""First,"" said the male dolphin, ""you must venture out into the forest and locate the Golden Mina Bird. Place it in this magical bag"" -- and the dolphins handed him a golden, silk bag made of the finest materials -- ""and make your way to the edge of the forest."" ""There, you will come to the Den of the Grey Lions,"" continued the female dolphin. ""Be careful not to wake them. There is a bridge that passes over their den; you must, quietly, travel over that bridge. And finally, you must obtain the Chalice of Knowledge. Return that and the bird to us, and we will answer any of your questions."" The young man ventured into the forest in search of the Golden Mina Bird, but first came across the Asp of Contrition. The Asp warned the young man, ""beware what you see and beware where you stray, for none have returned when they go on this way."" The man continued nonetheless, asking the Asp if he had seen the bird, and the Asp, with a slither, brought the young man to the creature he sought. The man easily captured the bird, putting it in the golden, silk bag, and went off toward the lions' den -- ignoring the snake's warning. The lion's den was enormous -- it seemed to stretch for miles in either direction. But, as the dolphins predicted, the lions were asleep. And the bridge, while narrow and ricketty-looking, was easily accessible. The young man walked to the bridge, crossing it on tip-toes, passing over the sleeping lions unnoticed. And then, the young man spotted the Chalice of Knowledge. But before he could get it, he was arrested for transporting a mina over slate lions for immortal porpoises.