One day I found several dry gourds that had fallen from a tree. I took a large one, and, after cleaning it, pressed into it some juice of grapes, which abounded in the island. Having filled the gourd, I put it by, and, going for it some days after, tasted and found the wine so good that it gave me new vigor, and so raised my spirits that I began to sing and dance as I carried my burden.
The old man, noticing the effect of the wine upon me, made me a sign to give him some of it. I handed him the gourd, and, the liquor pleasing his palate, he drank it off. As there was some quantity of it, he soon began to sing, and to move from side to side in his seat upon my shoulders, and by degrees to loosen his legs from about me. Finding that he did not press me as before, I threw him upon the ground, where he lay without motion; then I took up a great stone and slew him.
I was extremely glad to be thus freed forever from this troublesome fellow. I now walked towards the beach, where I met the crew of a ship that had cast anchor, to take in water. When I told them of my adventure, they said, "You fell into the hands of the Old Man of the Sea, and are the first who ever escaped strangling. He never quitted those he had once embraced till he had destroyed them, and many are the men he has slain."
Their captain received me with great kindness, and after some days' sail we arrived at the harbor of a great city, the houses of which overhung the sea.
With some of the people of this town I went to gather cocoanuts after their own method. When we reached a thick forest of cocoanut trees, we saw a great number of apes of several sizes, which fled as soon as they saw us, and climbed to the tops of the trees with amazing swiftness.
The merchants with whom I was gathered stones, and threw them at the apes on the trees. I did the same; and the apes, out of revenge, threw cocoanuts at us so fast and with such gestures as to show their anger clearly. We gathered up the cocoanuts, and from time to time threw stones to provoke the apes. In this way we filled our bags with cocoanuts, and by degrees I got enough to produce me no small sum of money.
We set sail, and traded in various islands, at one of which I hired divers and with other merchants went a-pearl-fishing. Some of the pearls they brought me up were very large and pure. Then I returned to Bagdad, and gave a tenth of my gains in alms, and rested from my fatigues.
THE SIXTH VOYAGE OF SINDBAD THE SAILOR
I know, my friends, that you will wish to hear how, after having been shipwrecked and having escaped so many dangers, I could resolve again to tempt fortune, and expose myself to new hardships. When I reflect upon it now it seems that I must have been led by destiny, from which none can escape. Be this as it may, after a year's rest, I prepared for a sixth voyage, though my kindred and friends did all in their power to dissuade me.
Once more I traveled through several provinces of Persia and the Indies, and arrived at a seaport, where I embarked on a ship bound on a long voyage, in which the captain and the pilot lost their course. Suddenly we saw the captain quit his rudder, lamenting loudly, pulling his beard and beating his head like a madman. In reply to our questions, he answered,—