Page:The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night, Vol 5.djvu/221

195 it as it were one of the pleasaunces of Paradise, abounding in trees, laden with ripe fruits, and flowers of all kinds and running streams and birds warbling the praises of Him to whom belong power and eternity. So I ate my fill of the fruits and slaked my thirst with the water of the streams and returned thanks to God the Most High and glorified Him; after which I sat till nightfall, hearing no voice and seeing none.

Then I lay down, well-nigh dead for travail and affright, and slept without ceasing till morning, when I arose and walked among the trees, till I came to a spring of running water, by which sat an old man of venerable aspect, girt about with a waistcloth made of the leaves of trees. Quoth I to myself, “Belike this old man is of those who were wrecked in the ship and hath made his way to this island.” So I went up to him and saluted him, and he returned my greeting by signs, but spoke not; and I said to him, “O old man, what ails thee to sit here?” He shook his head and moaned and signed to me, as who should say, “Take me on thy back and carry me to the other side of the stream.” And I said to myself, “I will deal kindly with him and do what he desires; it may be God will reward me.” So I took him on my shoulders and carrying him to the place to which he pointed, said to him, “Dismount at thy leisure.” But he would not get off my back and wound his legs about my neck. I looked at them and seeing that they were like a buffalo’s hide for blackness and roughness, was affrighted and would have cast him off; but he clung to me and gripped my neck with his legs, till I was well-nigh choked; the world grew black in my sight and I fell to the ground senseless. But he [still kept his seat and] beat me with his feet on the back and shoulders, till he enforced me rise, for excess of pain. Then he signed to me with his head to carry him hither and thither among the trees, to the best of the