Page:History of Sindbad the sailor.pdf/19

19 to hear them speak in my own languages, and willingly satisfied their curiossity by giving them an account of my shipwreck, and how I fell into the hands of the blacks. Those blacks, replied they, eat men, and by what miracle did you escape their cruelty? I told them the same story I now tell you, at which they were wonderfully surprised.

I staid with them till they had gathered their quantity of pepper, and then sailed with them to the island from whence they came. They presented me to their king, who was a good prince, he had the patience to the relation of my adventure, which surprised him; and he afterwards gave me clothes, and commanded care to be taken of me.

The island was very well peopled, plentiful of every thing, and the capital was a place of great trade. This agreeable place of retreat was very comfortable to me after my misfortune, and the kindness of this generous prince towards me completed my satisfaction. In a word, there was not a person more in favour with him than myself, and in consequence every man in court and city sought now to oblige me: so that in a very little time I was looked upon rather as a native than a stranger.

As I made my court very exactly to the king, he says to me one day, “Sinbad I love thee, and all my subjects who know thee treat thee according to my example. I have one thing to demand of thee which thou must grant, and that immediately.' "Sir,” answered I “there is nothing but what I will do, as a mark of my obedience to your majesty, whose power over me is absolute.” “I have a mind that thou shouldst marry," replies he, "that so thou mayest stay in my dominions, and think no more of thy own country.” I dared not