I obtained
it, however, at last, and the king, when he dismissed me, made me a
very considerable present. I embarked immediately to return to
Bagdad, but had not the good fortune to arrive there as I hoped.
God ordered it otherwise.
Three or four days after my departure, we were attacked by pirates,
who easily seized upon our ship. Some of the crew offered
resistance, which cost them their lives. But as for me and the
rest, who were not so imprudent, the pirates saved us on purpose to
make slaves of us.
We were all stripped, and instead of our own clothes they gave us
sorry rags, and carried us into a remote island, where they sold
us.
I fell into the hands of a rich merchant, who, as soon as he bought
me, carried me to his house, treated me well, and clad me
handsomely for a slave. Some days after, not knowing who I was, he
asked me if I understood any trade. I answered that I was no
mechanic, but a merchant, and that the pirates who sold me had
robbed me of all I had.
'But tell me,' replied he, 'can you shoot with a bow?'
I answered that the bow was one of my exercises in my youth, and I
had not yet forgotten it. Then he gave me a bow and arrows, and,
taking me behind him upon an elephant, carried me to a vast forest
some leagues from the town.
Pages:
355
356
357
358
359
360
361
362
363
364
365
366
367
368
369
370
371
372
373
374
375
376
377
378
379