til I was forced to get up and stagger about
with him under the trees while he gathered and ate the choicest fruits.
This went on all day, and even at night, when I threw myself down half
dead with weariness, the terrible old man held on tight to my neck, nor
did he fail to greet the first glimmer of morning light by drumming upon
me with his heels, until I perforce awoke and resumed my dreary march
with rage and bitterness in my heart.

It happened one day that I passed a tree under which lay several dry
gourds, and catching one up I amused myself with scooping out its
contents and pressing into it the juice of several bunches of grapes
which hung from every bush. When it was full I left it propped in the
fork of a tree, and a few days later, carrying the hateful old man that
way, I snatched at my gourd as I passed it and had the satisfaction of a
draught of excellent wine so good and refreshing that I even forgot my
detestable burden, and began to sing and caper.

The old monster was not slow to perceive the effect which my draught had
produced and that I carried him more lightly than usual, so he stretched
out his skinny hand and seizing the gourd first tasted its contents
cautiously, then drained them to the very last drop. The wine was strong
and the gourd capacious, so he also began to sing after a fashion, and
soon I had the delight of feeling the iron grip of his goblin legs
unclasp, and with one vigorous effort I threw him to the ground, from
which he never moved again. I was so rejoiced to have at last got rid of
this uncanny old man that I ran leaping and bounding down to the
sea-shore, where, by the greatest good luck, I met with some mariners
who had anchored off the island to enjoy the delicious fruits, and to
renew their supply of water.

They heard the story of my escape with amazement, saying, "You fell into
the hands of the Old Man of the Sea, and it is a mercy that he did not
strangle you as he has everyone else upon whose shoulders he has managed
to perch himself. This island is well-known as the scene of his evil
deeds, and no merchant or sailor who lands upon it cares to stray far
away from his comrades." After we had talked for awhile they took me
back with them on board their ship, where the captain received me
kindly, and we soon set sail, and after several days reached a large and
prosperous-looking town where all the houses were built of stone. Here
we anchored, and one of the merchants, who