Part 21 (2/2)
THE TERRACED ISLE OF BIRDS.
Again for three days and three nights they saw no land. But on the morning of the fourth day they heard the murmur of the waves on the beach; and as the day dawned, they saw a large high island, with terraces all round it, rising one behind another. On the terraces grew rows of tall trees, on which were perched great numbers of large, bright-coloured birds.
When the crew were about to hold council as to who should visit the island and see whether the birds were tame, Maildun himself offered to go. So he went with a few companions; and they viewed the island warily, but found nothing to hurt or alarm them; after which they caught great numbers of the birds and brought them to their s.h.i.+p.
A s.h.i.+eld-shaped island, with terraces crowned, And great trees circling round and round: From the summit down to the wave-washed rocks, There are bright-coloured birds in myriad flocks-- Their plumes are radiant; but hunger is keen; So the birds are killed, Till the curragh is filled, And the sailors embark on the ocean green!
CHAPTER V.
A MONSTER.
They sailed from this, and on the fourth day discovered a large, sandy island, on which, when they came near, they saw a huge, fearful animal standing on the beach, and looking at them very attentively. He was somewhat like a horse in shape; but his legs were like the legs of a dog; and he had great, sharp claws of a blue colour.
Maildun, having viewed this monster for some time, liked not his look; and, telling his companions to watch him closely, for that he seemed bent on mischief, he bade the oarsmen row very slowly towards land.
The monster seemed much delighted when the s.h.i.+p drew nigh the sh.o.r.e, and gambolled and pranced about with joy on the beach, before the eyes of the voyagers; for he intended to eat the whole of them the moment they landed.
”He seems not at all sorry to see us coming,” said Maildun; ”but we must avoid him and put back from the sh.o.r.e.”
This was done. And when the animal observed them drawing off, he ran down in a great rage to the very water's edge, and digging up large, round pebbles with his sharp claws, he began to fling them at the vessel; but the crew soon got beyond his reach, and sailed into the open sea.
A horrible monster, with blazing eyes, In shape like a horse and tremendous in size, Awaiting the curragh, they saw; With big bony jaws And murderous claws, That filled them with terror and awe: How gleeful he dances, And bellows and prances, As near to the island they draw; Expecting a feast-- The bloodthirsty beast-- With his teeth like edge of a saw: Then he ran to the sh.o.r.e, With a deafening roar, Intending to swallow them raw: But the crew, with a shout, Put their vessel about, And escaped from his ravenous maw![LXXII.]
CHAPTER VI.
THE DEMON HORSE-RACE.
After sailing a long distance, they came in view of a broad, flat island. It fell to the lot of Germane to go and examine it, and he did not think the task a pleasant one. Then his friend Diuran said to him--
”I will go with you this time; and when next it falls to my lot to visit an island, you shall come with me.” So both went together.
They found the island very large; and some distance from the sh.o.r.e they came to a broad green race-course, in which they saw immense hoof-marks, the size of a s.h.i.+p's sail, or of a large dining-table. They found nut-sh.e.l.ls, as large as helmets, scattered about; and although they could see no one, they observed all the marks and tokens that people of huge size were lately employed there at sundry kinds of work.
Seeing these strange signs, they became alarmed, and went and called their companions from the boat to view them. But the others, when they had seen them, were also struck with fear, and all quickly retired from the place and went on board their curragh.
When they had got a little way from the land, they saw dimly, as it were through a mist, a vast mult.i.tude of people on the sea, of gigantic size and demoniac look, rus.h.i.+ng along the crests of the waves with great outcry. As soon as this shadowy host had landed, they went to the green, where they arranged a horse-race.
The horses were swifter than the wind; and as they pressed forward in the race, the mult.i.tudes raised a mighty shout like thunder, which reached the crew as if it were beside them. Maildun and his men, as they sat in their curragh, heard the strokes of the whips and the cries of the riders; and though the race was far off, they could distinguish the eager words of the spectators:--”Observe the grey horse!” ”See that chestnut horse!” ”Watch the horse with the white spots!” ”My horse leaps better than yours!”
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