I found in the wood where I went to get the sticks for my fire, a cave
so large that I could stand in it; but I made more haste to get out,
than in; for two large eyes, as bright as stars, shone out from it with
a fierce glare. I took a torch, and went to see what they could be, and
found that there was no cause for fear; for the eyes were those of an
old gray goat, which had gone there to die of old age. I gave him a
push, to try to get him out of the cave, but he could not rise from the
ground where he lay; so I left him there to die, as I could not save his
life.
I found the width of the cave was twelve feet; but part of it, near the
end, was so low that I had to creep on my hands and feet to go in. What
the length of it was I could not tell, for my light went out, and I had
to give up my search. The next day, I went to the cave with large lights
made of goat's fat; and when I got to the end, I found that the roof
rose to two score feet or more.
As my lights shone on the walls and roof of the cave, a sight burst on
my view, the charms of which no tongue could tell; for the walls shone
like stars. What was in the rock to cause this it was hard to say; they
might be gems, or bright stones, or gold. But let them be what they may,
this cave was a mine of wealth to me; for at such time as I felt dull
or sad, the bright scene would flash on my mind's eye, and fill it with
joy.
A score of years had gone by, with no new sight to rest my eyes on, till
this scene burst on them. I felt as if I should like to spend the rest
of my life here; and at its close, lie down to die in this cave, like
the old goat.
As I went home I was struck by the sight of some smoke, which came from
a fire no more than two miles off. From this time I lost all my peace
of mind. Day and night a dread would haunt me, that the men who had made
this fire would find me out. I went home and drew up my steps, but first
I made all things round me look wild and rude. To load my gun was the
next thing to do, and I thought it would be best to stay at home and
hide.
But this was not to be borne long. I had no spy to send out and all I
could do was to get to the top of the hill, and keep a good look out. At
last, through my glass, I could see a group of wild men join in a dance
round their fire. As soon a they had left, I took two guns, and slung a
sword on my side; then with all speed, I set off to the top of the hill,
once more to have a good view.
This time I made up my mind to go up to the men, but not with a view to
kill them, for I felt that it would be wrong to do so. With such a load
of arms, it took me two hours to reach the spot where the fire was; and
by the time I got there, the men had all gone; but I saw them in four
boats out at sea.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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