" So I
took him on my back, and carrying him to the place whereat he pointed,
said to him, "Dismount at thy leisure." But he would not get off my
back, and wound his legs about my neck. I looked at them, and seeing
that they were like a buffalo's hide for blackness and roughness,
was affrighted and would have cast him off, but he clung to me and
gripped my neck with his legs till I was well-nigh choked, the world
grew black in my sight and I fell senseless to the ground like one
dead.
But he still kept his seat and raising his legs, drummed with his
heels and beat harder than palm rods my back and shoulders, till he
forced me to rise for excess of pain. Then he signed to me with his
hand to carry him hither and thither among the trees which bore the
best fruits, and if ever I refused to do his bidding or loitered or
took my leisure, he beat me with his feet more grievously than if I
had been beaten with whips. He ceased not to signal with his hand
wherever he was minded to go, so I carried him about the island,
like a captive slave, and he dismounted not night or day. And whenas
he wished to sleep, he wound his legs about my neck and leaned back
and slept awhile, then arose and beat me, whereupon I sprang up in
haste, unable to gainsay him because of the pain he inflicted on me.
Pages:
459
460
461
462
463
464
465
466
467
468
469
470
471
472
473
474
475
476
477
478
479
480
481
482
483