He stopped his
horse, asked who she was, how she came to be alone in that place,
and what she wanted? I am, says she, daughter of an Indian king;
as I was taking the air on horseback in the country, I grew
sleepy, fell from my horse, who is got away, and I know not what
is become of him. The young prince, taking compassion on her,
asked her to get up behind him, which she willingly accepted.
As they passed by the ruins of a house, the lady signified a
desire to alight on some occasion. The prince stopped his horse,
and suffered her to alight; then he alighted himself, and went
near the ruins with his horse in his hand: But you may judge how
much he was surprised, when he heard the lady within it say these
words, "Be glad, my children, I bring you a handsome young man,
and very fat;" and other voices which answered immediately,
"Mamma, where is he, that we may eat him presently, for we are
very hungry."
The prince heard enough to convince him of his danger, and then
he perceived that the lady, who called herself daughter to an
Indian king, was a hogress, wife to one of those savage demons
called hogress, who live in remote places, and make use of a
thousand wiles to surprise and devour passengers; so that the
prince, being thus frightened, mounted his horse as soon as he
could.
The pretended princess appeared that very moment, and perceiving
that she had missed her prey, she cries, Fear nothing, prince!
Who are you? Whom do you seek? I have lost my way, replies he,
and am seeking it.
Pages:
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98