Santiago leaves the chieftain and encounters a powerful, intimidating stranger on horseback, who terrifies him at swordpoint. The stranger turns out to be The Alchemist, who demands to know who is reading the omens in the hawk's flight. What sort of te

Santiago leaves the chieftain and encounters a powerful, intimidating stranger on horseback, who terrifies him at swordpoint. The stranger turns out to be The Alchemist, who demands to know who is reading the omens in the hawk's flight. What sort of test is The Alchemist subjecting Santiago to? After the test is over, what reason does The Alchemist give for testing Santiago in this way?