The Children's Hour, v 5. Stories From Seven Old Favorites

by Eva March Tappan

The other merchants now crowded around in amazement, and led me to their camp. When I showed them the diamonds in my bag, they confessed that they had never seen any of such size and beauty. I prayed the merchant who owned the nest to which I was carried (for every merchant had his own) to take for his share as many as he pleased. He contented himself with one, and that the least of them, and, when I urged him to take more, said,—

"No, this will save me the trouble of making any more voyages, and will raise as great a fortune as I desire."

When each of the merchants was satisfied with the diamonds which the eagles brought them, we left the place, and traveled near high mountains, where there were serpents of prodigious length, and from these we had the good fortune to escape. We took ship at the first port we reached, and touched at the Isle of Roha, where the trees grow that yield camphor. Here also is found the rhinoceros. This animal fights with the elephant, runs his horn into his belly, and carries him off upon his head; but when the blood and fat of the elephant run into his eyes and make him blind, he falls to the ground; then, strange to relate, the roc comes and carries them both away in her claws, for food for her young ones.

In this island I exchanged my diamonds for merchandise. After trading at various towns, we landed at Bussorah, whence I proceeded to Bagdad. There I gave large presents to the poor, and lived in honor upon the vast riches I had gained with so much fatigue.

THE THIRD VOYAGE OF SINDBAD THE SAILOR

I grew weary soon again of living an idle life, and, hardening myself against the thought of any danger, embarked with some merchants on another long voyage. After trading at several ports, we were overtaken one day by a dreadful tempest, which drove us from our course. Before it ceased we were brought to the port of an island, which the captain was very unwilling to enter; but we were obliged to cast anchor. The captain then told us that in this and some islands near it dwelt hairy savages who would soon attack us; and, though they were but dwarfs, we must not resist them, for they were more in number than the locusts, and, if we happened to kill one, they would all fall upon us and destroy us.

We soon found the captain's words but too true. A great multitude of frightful savages, about two feet high, covered all over with red hair, came swimming towards us, and surrounded the ship. They chattered as they came near, but we understood not their language. They climbed up the sides of the ship with surprising quickness. They took down our sails, cut the cable, and, hauling the vessel to the shore, made us all get out, and then carried the ship into another island, from which they had come. We saw at a distance a vast pile of building, and made towards it. We found it to be a palace, elegantly built, and very lofty, with a gate of ebony of two leaves, which we opened. Before us was a large room, with a porch, having on one side a heap of human bones, and on the other a vast number of roasting spits. We trembled at this sight, and were seized with deadly fear, when suddenly the gate of the room opened with a loud crash, and there came out the horrible figure of a black man, as tall as a lofty palm-tree. He had but one eye, and that in the middle of his forehead, where it blazed bright as a burning coal. His fore-teeth were very long and sharp, and stood out of his mouth, which was as deep as that of a horse. His upper lip hung down upon his breast. His ears were like an elephant's, and covered his shoulders; and his nails were as long and crooked as the talons of the greatest birds. At the sight of so frightful a genie, we lost our senses, and lay like dead men.

At last we came to ourselves, and saw him sitting in the porch, looking closely at us. Then he advanced, and, laying his hand upon me, took me up by the nape of my neck, and turned me round, as a butcher would turn a sheep's head. When he saw that I had nothing but skin and bone, he let me go. He took up all the rest one by one, and viewed them in the same manner. As the captain was the fattest, he held him with one hand, as I would a sparrow, and thrust a spit through him; he then kindled a great fire, roasted, and ate him for his supper. Then he fell asleep, snoring louder than thunder. He slept thus till morning. As to ourselves, it was not possible for us to enjoy any rest, and we passed the night in the most painful fear. When day appeared the giant awoke, went out, and left us in the palace.

The next night we revenged ourselves on the brutish giant in the following manner. After he had finished his inhuman supper on another of our seamen, he lay down on his back and fell asleep. As soon as we heard him snore, nine of the boldest among us, and I, took each of us a spit, and, putting the points of them into the fire till they were burning hot, we thrust them into his eye all at once, and blinded him. The pain made him break out in a frightful yell; he started up, and stretched out his hand to seize and kill us; but we ran to such places as he could not reach. After having sought for us in vain, he groped for the gate, and went out, howling in agony.

We left the palace at once, and came to the shore, where we made some rafts, each large enough to carry three men. We waited till day before getting on them, for we hoped that by morning the howling, which we still heard, would cease, and that the giant would be dead; and if that happened we meant to stay in the island, and not to risk our lives upon the rafts. But day had scarcely appeared when we saw our cruel enemy, with two giants, almost of the same size, leading him; and a great number were coming before him at a quick pace.