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The Voyages of Sindbad (31) [The Voyages of Sindbad]

The Voyages of Sindbad (31)

  Turning away from the sea we wandered miserably inland, finding as we went various herbs and fruits which we ate, feeling that we might as well live as long as possible though we had no hope of escape.

  Presently we saw in the distance what seemed to be a splendid palace, towards which we turned our weary steps, and when we reached it we saw that it was a castle, lofty and strongly built.

  Pushing back the heavy ebony doors we entered the courtyard, but upon the threshold of the great hall beyond it we paused, frozen with terror, at the sight which greeted us.

  On one side lay a huge pile of human bones and on the other spits for roasting !

  Overcome with despair we sank trembling to the ground, and lay there without speech or motion.

  The sun was setting when a loud noise aroused us, the door of the hall was violently burst open and a horrible giant entered.

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The Voyages of Sindbad (32) [The Voyages of Sindbad]

The Voyages of Sindbad (32)

  He was as tall as a palm tree, and perfectly black, and had one eye, which flamed like a burning coal in the middle of his forehead.
  His teeth were long and sharp and grinned horribly, while his lower lip hung down upon his chest, and he had ears like elephant's ears, which covered his shoulders, and nails like the claws of some fierce bird.

  At this terrible sight our senses left us and we lay like dead men.

  When at last we came to ourselves, the Giant sat examing us attentively with his fearful eye.

  Presently, when he had looked at us enough, he came towards us and, stretching out his hand, took me by the back of the neck, turning me this way and that.

  Feeling that I was mere skin and bone, however, he set me down again and went on to the next, whom he treated in the same fashion.

 At last he came to the Captain and, finding him the fattest of all, he took him up in one hand and stuck him upon a spit and proceeded to kindle a huge fire at which he presently roasted him.

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昨日は、予約投稿に失敗し、欠落日となり、申し訳ありません。
以後、欠落のないよう心がけます。

The Voyages of Sindbad (33) [The Voyages of Sindbad]

The Voyages of Sindbad (33)

  After the Giant had supped he lay down to sleep, while we lay shivering with horror the whole night.

  When day broke he awoke and went out, leaving us in the castle.

  When we believed him to be really gone we started up be moaning our horrible fate until the hall echoed with our despairing cries.
  Though we were numerous and our enemy was alone it did not occur to us to kill him, and indeed we should have found that a hard task, even if we had thought of it, and no plan could we sevise to deliver oueselves.

  So at last, submitting to our sad fate, we spent the day in wandering up and down the island eating such fruit as we could find.

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The Voyages of Sindbad (34) [The Voyages of Sindbad]

The Voyages of Sindbad (34)

  When night came we returned to the castle, having sought in vain for any other place of shelter.

  At sunset the Giant returned, supped upon one of our unhappy comrades, slept till dawn, and then left us as before.

  Our condition seemed so frightful tha several of my companions thought it would be better to leap from the cliffs and perish in the waves rather than await so miserable an end ; but I had a plan of escape which I now unfolded to them, and which they at once agreed to attempt.

  " Listen, my brothers, " I added, " Plenty of driftwood lies along the shore. Let us make several rafts, and carry them to a suitable place. If our plot succeeds, we can wait for the chance of some passing ship to rescue us. If it fails, we must quickly take our rafts ; frail as they are, we have more chance of saving our lives with them than we have if we remain here. "

  All agreed with me, and we spent the day in building rafts, each capable of carrying three persons.

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The Voyages of Sindbad (35) [The Voyages of Sindbad]

The Voyages of Sindbad (35)

  At nightfall wereturned to the castle, and very soon in came the Giant, and one more of our number was sacrificed.

  But the time of our vengeance was at hand !

  As soon as he had finished his horrible meal he lay down to sleep as before, and when we heard him began to snore I, and nine of the boldest of my comrades, rose softly, and took each a spit, which we made red-hot in the fire, and then we plunged them into the Giant's eye, completely blinding him.

  Uttering a terrible cry, he sprang to his feet clutching in all directions to try to seize one of us, but we had all fled different ways as soon as the deed was done, and thrown ourselves flat upon the ground in corners where he was not likely to touch us with his feet.

  After a vain search he fumbled about till he found the door, and then fled out of it howling frightfully.

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The Voyages of Sindbad (36) [The Voyages of Sindbad]

The Voyages of Sindbad (36)

  As for us, when he was gone we made haste to leave the fatal castle, and, stationing ourselves beside our rafts, we waited to see what would happen.

  Our idea was that if, when the sun rose, we saw nothing of the Giant, and no longer heard his howls, which still came faintly through the darkness, growing more and more distant, we should conclude that he was dead, and that we might safely stay upon the island and need not risk our lives upon the frail rafts.

  But alas ! 

  Morning light showed us our enemy approaching, suported on either hand by two giants nearly as large and fearful as himself, while crowd of others followed close upon their heels.

  Hesitating no longer, we clambered  upon our rafts and rowed with all our might out to sea.

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The Voyages of Sindbad (37) [The Voyages of Sindbad]

The Voyages of Sindbad (37)

  The Giants, seeing their prey escaping them, seized up huge piece of rock and, wading into the water, hurled them after us with such good aim that all the rafts except the one I was upon were swamped, and their luckless crews drowned, without our being able to do anything to help them.

  Indeed I and my two companions had all we could do to keep our own raft beyond the reach of the Giants, but by hard rowing we at last reached the open sea.

  Here we were at the mercy of the winds and waves, which tossed us to and fro all that day and night, but the next morning we found ourselves near an island, upon which we gladly landed.

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The Voyages of Sindbad (38) [The Voyages of Sindbad]

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.

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The Voyages of Sindbad (39) [The Voyages of Sindbad]

The Voyages of Sindbad (39)

  When the sun rose I crept down from the tree with hardly a hope of escaping the dreadful fate which had overtaken my comrades ; but life is sweet, and I determind to do all I could to save myself.

  All day long I toiled with frantic haste and collected quantities of dry brusshwood, reeds and thorns, which I tied into bundles.

  I piled them firmly one upon another until I had a kind of tent in which I crouched like a mouse in a hole when she perceives the cat coming.

  You may imagine what a fearful night I passed, for the snake returned eager to devour me, and glided round and round my frail shelter seeking an entrance.

  Every moment I feared that it would succeed in pushing aside some of the bundles, but happily for me they held together, and when it grew light my enemy retired, baffled and hungry, to his den.

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The Voyages of Sindbad (40) [The Voyages of Sindbad]

The Voyages of Sindbad (40)

  As for me I was more dead than alive !

  Shaking with fright and half suffocated by the poisonous breath of the monster, I came out of my tent and crawled down to the sea, feeling that it would be better to plunge from the cliffs and end my life at once than pass such another night of horror.

  But to my joy and relief I saw a ship sailing by, and by shouting wildly and waving my turban I managed to attract the attention of her crew.

  A boat was sent to rescue me, and very soon I found myself on board surrounded by a wondering crowd of sailora and merchants eager to know by what chance I found myself on that desolate island.

  After I had told my story they regaled me with the choicest food the ship afforded, and the Captain, seeing that I was in rags, generously bestowed upon me one of his own coats.

 After sailing about for some time and touching at many ports we came at last to the island of Salahat, where sandalwood grows in abundance.

  Here we anchored.

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The Voyages of Sindbad (41) [The Voyages of Sindbad]

The Voayages of Sindbad (41)

  And as I stood watching the merchants disembarking  their goods and preparing to sell ore exchange them, the Captain came up to me and said : " I have here, Brother, some merchandise belonging to a passenger of mine who is dead. Will you do me the favour to trade with it, and when I meet with his heirs I shall be able to give them the money, though it will be only just taht you shall have a portion for your trouble. "

  I consented gladly, for I did not like standing by idle.

  He pointed the bales out to me, and sent for the person whose duty it was to keep a list of the goods that were on the ship.

  When this man came he asked in what name the merchandise was to be regissted.

  " In the name of Sindbad the sailor, " replied the Captain.

  At this I was greatly surprised, but looking carefully at him I recognised him to be the Captain of the ship upon which I had made my second voyage, though he ahd altered much since that time.

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The Voayages of Sindbad (42) [The Voyages of Sindbad]

The Voyages of Sindbad (42)

  As for him, believing me to be dead it was no wonder that he had not recognised me.

  " So, Captain, " said I, " the merchant who owned those bales was known as Sindbad ? "

  " Yes, " he answered.
  " He belonged to Bagdad, and joined my ship at Balsora, but by mischance he was left behind on a desert island where we had landed to fill up our water-casks, and it was not until four hours later that he was missed. By that time the wind had freshened, and it was impossible to put back for him. "

  " You suppose him to have perished then ? " said I.

  " Alas ! yes, " he answered.

  " Why ? Captain ! " I cried, " look well at me. I am that Sindbad who fell asleep upon the island and awoke to find himself abandoned ! "

  The Captain stared at me in amazement, but was eventually convinced that I was indeed speaking the truth, and rejoiced greatly at my escape.

  " I am glad to have that piece of carelessness off my conscience at any rate, " said he. 
  " Now take your goods, and the profit I have made for you upon them, and may you prosper in future. "

  I returned to Bagdad with so much money that Icould not count it, besides tresures without end.
  I gave largely to the poor, and bought much land to add to what I already possessed, and thus ended my third voyage.

  When Sindbad had finished his story he gave another bundred sequins to Hindbad, who then departed with the other guests ; but the next day when they ahd all reassembled, and the banquet was ended, their host, Sindbad, continued his adventures.

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次回より、最終章 Fourth Voyage 始まります。
次回は、パソコンメインテナンス諸般の事情により、もしかしますと一日空きまして26日となるかもしれません。
Fisherman and his Wife は25日に確実に出ます。

The Voyages of Sindbad (43) [The Voyages of Sindbad]

The Voyages of Sindbad (43)


  Fourth Voyage 


  Not even all that I had gone through could make me contented with a quiet life.  

  I soon wearied of its pleasures, and longed for change and adventure.

  Therefore I set out once more, but this time in a ship of my own, which I built and fitted out at the nearest seaport.

  I wished to be able to call at whatever port I chose, taking my own time ; but as I did not intend carrying enough goods for a full cargo, I invited several merchants of different nations to join me.

  We set sail with the first favourable wind, and after a long voyage upon the open seas we landed on an unknown island which proved to be uninhabited.

  We determaind, however, toxplore it.

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The Voyages of Sindbad (44) [The Voyages of Sindbad]

The Voyages of Sindbad (44)

  But we had not gone far when we found a roc's egg, as large as the one I had seen before it and very nearly harched, for the beak of young bird had already pierced the shell.

  In spite of all I could say to deter them, the merchants who were with me fell upon it with their ha, and tchets, breaking the shell, and killing the young roc.

  Then lighting a fire upon the ground they hacked morselsfrom the bird, and proceeded to roast them while I stood by aghast.

  Scarcely had the merchants finished their ill-omened feast when the air above us was darkened by two mighty shadows.

  The Captain of my ship, knowing by experience what this meant, cried out to us that the parent birds were coming, and urged us to get on board with all speed.

This we did, and the sails were hoisted.

But before we had tarveled far, the rocs reached their despoiled nest and hovered above it, uttering frightful cries.   

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The Voyages of Sindbad (45) [The Voyages of Sindbad]

The Voyages of sindbad (45)

  They discovered the mangled remains of their young one.

  For a moment we lost sight of them, and were hoping that we had escaped when they reappeared and soared into the air directly over our vessel.

  We saw that each heldin its craws an immense rock ready to crush us.

  There was a moment of suspense, then one birds loosed its hold and the huge block of stone hurtled through the air, but thanks to the presence of mind of the helmsman, who turned our ship violently in another direction, it fell into the sea close beside us, till we could nearly see the bottom.

  We had hardly time todraw a breath of relief before the other rock fell with a mighty crash right in the midst of our luckness vessel, smashing it into a thousand fragments, and crushing or hurling into the sea, both passengers and crew.

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The Voyages of Sindbad (45) [The Voyages of Sindbad]

The Voyages of Sindbad (45)

  I myself went down with the rest, but had the good fortune to rise unhurt, and by holding on to a piece of driftwood with one hand and swimming with the other I kept myself afloat and was washed up by the tide on to an island.

 Its shores were steep and rocky, but I scrambled up safely and threw myself down to rest upon the green turf.

  When I had somewhat recovered, I began to examine the spot in which I found myself, and truly it seemed to me that I had reached a garden of delights.

  There were trees everywhere, and they were laden with flowers and fruit, while a crystal stream wandered in and out under thier shadow.

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The Voyages of Sindbad (46) [The Voyages of Sindbad]

The Voyages of Sindbad (46)

  When night came I slept sweetly, though the remembrance  that I was alone in a strange land mede me sometimes start up and look around me in alarm, and then I wished heartily that I had stayed at home.

  However, the morning sunlight restored my courage, and I once more wandered among the trees, but always wondering anxiously as to what  I might see next.

  I had penetrated some distance into the island when I saw an old man bent and feeble sitting upon the river bank, and at first I took him to be some shipwrecked mariner like myself.

  Going up to him I greeted him in a friendly way, but he nodded his head at me in reply.

  I then asked what he was doing there, and he made signs to me that he wished to get across the river to gather some fruit, and seemed to beg me to carry him on my back.

  Pitying his age and feebleness, I took him up, and wading across the stream I bent down that he might more easily reach the bank, and told him to get down.

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The Voyages of Sindbad (47) [The Voyages of Sindbad]

The Voyages of Sindbad (47)

  But instead of allowing himself to be set upon his feet ( even now it mekes me laugh to think of it ! ), this creature who had seemed to me so decrepit leapt nimbly upon my shoulders, and hooking his legs round my neck gripped me so tightly that I was almost choked, and so overcome with terror that I fell unconscious to the ground.

  When I recovered, my enemy was still in his place, though he had released his hold enough to allow me breathing space, and seeing me revive he prodded me first with one foot and then with the other, until 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 was froced to wake and resume my dreary march with rage and bitterness in my heart.

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The Voyages of Sindbad (48) [The Voyages of Sindbad]

The Voyages of Sindbad (48)
 as 
  One day I passed a tree under which lay several dry gourds, and catching one up I amused myself for a time with scooping out its contents and pressing into it the juice of several bunches of grapes which hung from every bush.

  When the gourd was full I felt 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 enjoyed a draught of excellent wine so good and refreshing that I even forgot my detestable burden, and began to sing and caper.

  The old man was not slow to perceive the effort which my drink had produced and that I carried him more lightly tha usual, so he stretched his skinny hand and seized the gourd first tasted its contents cautiously, then drained them to the very last drop.

  The wine was strong and the gourd large, 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, fro which he never moved again.

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The Voyages of Sindbad (49) [The Voyages of Sindbad]

The Voyages of Sindbad (49)

  I was so glad to have at last got rid of this uncanny old man that I ran leaping and bounding down to the seashore, 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 listened to the story of my escape with amazement, saying : " You fell into the hands of hte Old Man of the Sea, and it is a mercy that he did not strange 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 a while they took me back with them on board their ship, where the Captain received me kindly, and we soon set sail and since that time I have rested from my labours, and given myself up wholly to my family and friends.

  Thus SIndbad ended the story of his last voyage.

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The Voyages of Sindbad (50 完) [The Voyages of Sindbad]

The Voyages of Sindbad (50)

  And turnig to Hidbad he added: " Well, my friend, and what do you think now ? Have you ever heard of anyone who has suffered more hardships than I have ? Is it not just that I should now enjoy a life of ease and tranquillity ? "

  Hindbad drew near, and kissing his hand respectfully replied, " Sir, you have indeed known fearful perils ; my troubles have been nothing compared to yours, Moreover, the generous use you deserve it. May you live long and happily in the full enjoyment in it. "

  Sindbad then gave Hindbad a hundred seequins, and hence forward counted him among his friends ; also he caused him to give up his profession as a porter, and to eat daily at his table that he might all his life remember Sindbad the Sailor.

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