I went towards him and saluted him, but he only bowed his
head a little. I asked him what he did there, but instead of
answering he made a sign for me to take him upon my back and carry
him over the brook, signifying that it was to gather fruit.
I believed him really to stand in need of my help, so took him upon
my back, and having carried him over, bade him get down, and for
that end stooped that he might get off with ease: but instead of
that (which I laugh at every time I think of it), the old man, who
to me had appeared very decrepit, clasped his legs nimbly about my
neck, and then I perceived his skin to resemble that of a cow. He
sat astride upon my shoulders, and held my throat so tight that I
thought he would have strangled me, the fright of which made me
faint away and fall down.
Notwithstanding my fainting, the ill-natured old fellow kept fast
about my neck, but opened his legs a little to give me time to
recover my breath. When I had done so, he thrust one of his feet
against my stomach, and struck me so rudely on the side with the
other, that he forced me to rise up against my will. Having got up,
he made me walk under the trees, and forced me now and then to
stop, to gather and eat fruit such as we found.
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