Brethren, said I, you know there is a great deal of
timber floating upon the coast; if you will be advised by me, let
us make several floats of it that may carry us, and, when they
are done, leave them there till we think fit to make use of them.
In the mean time we will execute the design to deliver ourselves
from the giant; and, if it succeed, we may stay here with
patience till some ship pass by that may carry us out of this
fatal island; but, if it happen to miscarry, we may speedily get
to our floats, and put to sea. I confess, that, by exposing
ourselves to the fury of the waves, we run a risk of losing our
lives; but, if we do, is it not better to be buried in the sea
than in the entrails of this monster, who has already devoured
two of us? My advice was relished, and we made floats capable of
carrying three persons each.
We returned to the palace towards evening, and the giant arrived
a little while after. We were forced to submit to see a number of
our comrades roasted; but at last revenged ourselves on the
brutish giant thus. After he had made an end of his cursed
supper, he lay down on his back, and fell asleep. As soon as we
heard him snore[Footnote: It would seem the Arabian author has
taken this story from Homer's Odyssey.] according to his custom,
nine of the boldest among us, with myself, took each a spit, and
putting the points of them into the fire till they were burning
hot, we thrust them into his eye all at once, and blinded him.
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