ange proceedings.
The next day, soon after we had arisen, we went out to walk, and then
I said to them, "I cannot forbear asking why you bedaubed your faces
with black--how it has happened that each of you has but one eye. I
conjure you to satisfy my curiosity."

One of the young men answered on behalf of the rest, "Once more we
advise you to restrain your curiosity; it will cost you the loss of
your right eye."

"No matter," I replied; "be assured that if such a misfortune befall
me, I will not impute it to you, but to myself."

He further represented to me that when I had lost an eye I must not
hope to remain with them, if I were so disposed, because their number
was complete, and no addition could be made to it. I begged them, let
it cost what it would, to grant my request.

The ten young men, perceiving that I was so fixed in my resolution,
took a sheep, killed it, and after they had taken off the skin,
presented me with a knife, telling me it would be useful to me on an
occasion, which they would soon explain. "We must sew you in this
skin," said they, "and then leave you; upon which a bird of monstrous
size, called a roc, will appear in the air, and, taking you for a
sheep, will pounce upon you, and soar with you to the sky. But let not
that alarm you; he will descend with you again, and lay you on the top
of a mountain. When you find yourself on the ground, cut the skin with
your knife, and throw it off. As soon as the roc sees you, he will fly
away for fear, and leave you at liberty. Do not stay, but walk on
till you come to a spacious palace, covered with plates of gold, large
emeralds, and other precious stones. Go up to the gate, which always
stands open, and walk in. We have each of us been in that castle, but
will tell you nothing of what we saw, or what befell us there; you
will learn by your own experience. All that we can inform you is, that
it has cost each of us our right eye; and the penance which you have
been witness to, is what we are obliged to observe in consequence of
having been there; but we cannot explain ourselves further."

When the young man had thus spoken, I wrapped myself in the sheep's
skin, holding fast to the knife which was given me; and after the
young men had been at the trouble to sew the skin about me, they
retired into the hall, and left me alone. The roc they spoke of soon
arrived; he pounced upon me, took me in his talons like a sheep, and
carried me up to the summit of