The Voyages of Sindbad (38)

The Voyages of Sindbad (38)

  There we found delicious fruit, and having satisfied our hunger we lay down to rest upon the shore.

  Suddenly we were aroused by a loud rustling noise.

  Starting up, we saw that it was caused by an immense snake which was gliding towards us over the sand.

  So swifty it came that it had seized one of my comrades before he had time to fly, and in spite of his cries and struggles speedly crushed the life out of him in its mighty coils and proceeded to swallow him.

  By this time my other companion and I were running for our lives to some place where we might hope to be safe from this new horror, and seeing a tall tree we climbed up into it, having first provided ourselves with a store of fruit off the surrounding bushes.

  When night came I fell asleep, but only to be awakened once more by the terrible snake, which after hissing horribly round the tree at last reared itself up against it.

  Finding my sleeping comrade who was perched just below me, the snake swallowed him also, and crawled away leaving me half dead with terror.

(38/50)