de a vow never to leave my home again.'

"Then I told him all my adventures, which caused him much
astonishment. Nevertheless, he urged me to do as he wished, and seeing
that there was no escape, I consented.

"I set sail at the Caliph's command, and after a good voyage I at last
reached the island of Serendib, where I received a hearty welcome. I
told the officers of the court what my errand was, and they led me to
the palace, where I bowed myself to the ground before the great King.

"'Sindbad,' he said kindly, 'thou art welcome. I have often thought of
thee, and wished to see thy face again.'

"So I presented the Caliph's letter, and the rich present he had sent,
which pleased the King well. When a few days had passed, I begged to
be allowed to depart, and after receiving many gifts I once more set
sail for home.

"But alas! the return journey began badly. We had not sailed many
days, when we were pursued by pirates, who captured the ship, and took
prisoners all those who were not killed. I, among others, was carried
ashore and sold by a pirate to a rich merchant.

"'What is thy trade?' asked the merchant when he had bought me.

"'I am a merchant,' I answered, 'and know no trade.'

"'Canst thou shoot with a bow and arrow?' asked my master.

"This I said I could do, and putting one in my hand he led me out to a
great forest and bade me climb into a high tree.

"'Watch there,' he said, 'until thou shalt see a herd of elephants
pass by. Then try to shoot one, and if thou art fortunate, come at
once and tell me.'

"All night I watched, and saw nothing, but in the morning a great
number of elephants came thundering by, and I shot several arrows
among them. One big elephant fell to the ground, and lay there while
the rest passed on; so, as soon as it was safe, I climbed down and
carried the news to my master. Together we buried the huge animal and
marked the place, so that we might return to fetch the tusks.

"I continued this work for some time, and killed many elephants, until
one night I saw to my horror that the elephants, instead of passing
on, had surrounded the tree in which I sat, and were stamping and
trumpeting, until the very earth shook. Then one of them seized the
tree with his trunk, and tore it up by the roots, laying it flat on
the ground.

"I was almost senseless with terror, but the next moment I felt myself
gently lifted up by an elephant's trunk, and placed on his back. I
clung on with a