The boats joined, and the singer stepped from his into that where Periander and his party were, who all received him very courteously. As he entered, the new comer said, half in Portuguese and half in Castilian, "I owe to Heaven and to you, and to my voice, this agreeable change for the better into your boat; albeit I believe I shall not long encumber it with the load of my body, for the heavy sorrows I have in my heart are such that I feel my life holds by a single thread."
"Heaven may help thee yet," said Periander, "for I am a living proof that there are no sorrows or miseries that can kill any one."
Here Auristella joined in the conversation and said, "That is not hope which merely puts away and resists misfortune, but as the light shines brightest in darkness so is hope most firm in time of trouble, and despair is the feeling of only coward souls. There is no cowardice or meanness greater than to give oneself up to despair."
"I believe this truly," answered the singer, "notwithstanding, and in spite of, the sad experience I have known in the course of my life."
They continued rowing as they discoursed, so that before night they reached another island also uninhabited, but there were trees upon it, and many of them, and full of fruit, though dried, and past the season, yet fit to eat. They leaped ashore, drew up their boats, and began with great speed to despoil the trees, and make a hut to keep themselves from the cold that night; they also kindled a fire by rubbing dry sticks together, a common and well-known practice, and as all worked, it was not long before they had built up this poor shelter, where they all assembled, supplying the inconveniences of the place by a good fire, this appearing to all the first thing necessary to their comfort. After satisfying their hunger they would have prepared themselves to sleep, if it had not been that the desire Periander felt to learn the adventures of the musician prevented him, and he entreated that he would, if it were possible, let them hear the story of his misfortunes, for misfortunes they must have been, to have brought him into such a situation.
The singer was courteous and without more entreaty, began thus.
