Page:Arabian Nights Entertainments (1728)-Vol. 3.djvu/19

and ſnoar’d till Day, and then went out and left us as formerly. Our Condition was ſo very terrible, that ſeveral of my Comrades deſign’d to throw themſelves into the Sea, rather than die ſo ſtrange a Death; and thoſe, who were of this Mind, argued with the reſt to follow their Example. Upon which one of the Company anſwer’d, That we were forbid to deſtroy our ſelves; but, allowing it to be lawful, it was more reaſonable to think of a Way to rid our ſelves of the barbarous Tyrant, who deſign’d ſo cruel a Death for us.

Having thought of a Project for thiſ End, I communicated the ſame to my Comrades, Who approv’d it. Brethren, ſaid I, you know there’s a great deal of timber floating upon the Coaſt, if you’ll be advis’d 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 our ſelves 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 ts miſcarry, we will ſpeedily get to our Floats, and put to Sea. I confeſs that by expoſing our ſelves 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 devour’d two of us. My Advice was reliſh’d, and we made Floats capable of carrying Three Perſons each.

We return’d to the Palace towards the Evening, and the Giant arriv’d a little while after. We were forc’d to conclude on ſeeing another of our Comrades roaſted. But at laſt reveng’d our ſelves 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^[1] according to his Cuſtom, Nine of the boldeſt amongſt us and my ſelf, took each of us a Spit, and putting the Points of ’em into the Fire till they were burning hot, we thruſt them into his Eye all at once and blinded him. The Pain occaſioned him to make a frightful Cry, and to get up and ſtretch out his Hands, in order to ſacrifice ſome of us to his Rage; but we ran to ſuch Places as he could not find us, and after having ſought for us in vain