The Junior Classics, Volume 5: Stories that never grow old
General
The Junior Classics, Volume 5: Stories that never grow old
Children's literature
and some on my face, which I immediately covered with my left
hand. When this shower of arrows was over, I fell a-groaning with
grief and pain, and then striving again to get loose, they
discharged another volley larger than the first, and some of them
attempted with spears to stick me in the sides; but, by good luck,
I had on me a buff jerkin, which they could not pierce. I thought
it the most prudent method to lie still, and my design was to
continue so till night, when my left hand being already loose, I
could easily free myself; and as for the inhabitants, I had reason
to believe I might be a match for the greatest army they could
bring against me, if they were all of the same size with him that
I saw. But fortune disposed otherwise of me. When the people
observed I was quiet, they discharged no more arrows; but, by the
noise I heard, I knew their numbers increased; and about four
yards from me, over against my right ear, I heard a knocking for
above an hour, like that of people at work; when turning my head
that way, as well as the pegs and strings would permit me, I saw a
stage erected, about a foot and a half from the ground, capable of
holding four of the inhabitants, with two or three ladders to
mount it; from whence one of them, who seemed to be a person of
quality, made me a long speech, whereof I understood not one
syllable. But I should have mentioned, that before the principal
person began his oration, he cried out three times, _Langro
dehul san_ (these words and the former were afterwards repeated
and explained to me). Whereupon immediately about fifty of the
inhabitants came and cut the strings that fastened the left side
of my head, which gave me the liberty of turning it to the right,
and of observing the person and gesture of him that was to speak.
He appeared to be of a middle age, and taller than any of the
other three who attended him, whereof one was a page that held up
his train, and seemed to be somewhat longer than my middle finger;
the other two stood one on each side to support him. He acted
every part of an orator, and I could observe many periods of
threatenings, and others of promises, pity, arid kindness. I
answered in a few words, but in the most submissive manner,
lifting up my left hand and both my eyes to the sun, as calling
him for a witness; and, being almost famished with hunger, having
not eaten a morsel for some hours before I left the ship, I found
the demands of nature so strong upon me, that I could not forbear
showing my impatience (perhaps against the strict rules of
decency) by putting my finger frequently to my mouth, to signify
that I wanted food. The _Hurgo_ (for so they call a great
lord, as I afterwards learnt) understood me very well. He
descended from the stage, and commanded that several ladders
should be applied to my sides, on which above an hundred of the
inhabitants mounted, and walked towards my mouth, laden with
baskets full of meat, which had been provided and sent thither by
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account