155 THE ARABIAN NIGHTS.

Notwithstanding my situation, the old man kept his place on
my neck ; he only loosed his hold sufficiently to allow me to
breathe. When I was a little recovered, he pushed one of his
feet against my stomach, and kicking my side with the other,
obliged me to get up. He then made me walk under some trees,
and forced me to gather and eat the fruit we met with, He
never quitted his hold during the day, and when I wished to
rest at night, he laid himself on the ground with me, always
fixed to my neck. He never failed to awaken me in the morn-
ing, which he effected by pushing me, and then he made me get
up and walk, kicking me all the time.

One day, having found on the ground several dried gourds,
which had fallen from the tree that bore them, I took a pretty
large one, and after having cleared it well, I squeezed into it the
juice of several bunches of grapes, which the island produced in
great abundance. When I had filled the gourd, I placed it ina
particular spot, and some days after returned with the old man,
when tasting the contents, I found it to be converted into ex-
cellent wine, which for a little time made me forget the ills
that oppressed me. It gave me new vigour, and raised my
spirits so high, that I began to sing and dance as I went
‘along.

The old man perceiving the effect this draught had taken on
my spirits, made signs to me to let hiin taste it ; I gave him the
gourd, and the liquor pleased his palate so well, that he drank
it to the last drop. There was enough to inebriate him, and the
fumes of the wine very soon rose into his head: he then began
to sing after his own manner, and to stagger on my shoulders.
The blows he gave himself made him return what he had on his
stomach, and his legs loosened by degrees ; so that finding he
no longer held me tight, I threw him on the ground, where he
remained motionless ; I then took a large stone and crushed
him to death.

I was much rejoiced at having so effectually got rid of this
old man, and I walked towards the sea-shore, where I met some
people who belonged to a vessel, which had anchored there to
get fresh water. They were very much astonished at seeing me,
and hearing the account of my adventure. ‘You had fallen,”
said they, “into the hands of the Old Man of the Sea, and you
are the first whom he has not strangled; he never left those