The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-09-12

his Fourth Voyage. Although he had vowed never to go to sea again he be- came restless and embarked with a com pany of merchants for trading voyage. They had not been long at sea when the ship was caught in a fierce storm, which overwhelmed her. Many were drowned, but SIndbad and some others, by clinging to blanks, managed to reach shore, where they found themselves on an island in- habited by cannibal negroes, who gave them abundantly to eat and also a bev- craze to drink in which had been steeped certain herbs which take away the senses Sindbad, being suspicious did not drink of the liquid and ate as little as he could and yet keep life in his body. So he kept his senses and grew poor and thin while the others became foolish and waxed fat. Each day one of the fat ones was killed and eaten by the negroes, but Sndbad was so thin that he would only have done for grilied bone and the savages were not fond of grilled bones. After the others had been served up in roasts and ragouts Sindbad was kept in hopes that one day he would fatten and was allowed plenty of liberty.
 One day as he was walking by the shore he came upon a party of white men gathering pepper. When they went away in their ship they took sindbad with them and carried him to the king of their country. The king was much interested in Sindbad's account of his adventures and provided liberally for his wants Observ- ing that the people of the island rode their horses without saddle or bridle Sind Lad, made pieces of horse furniture and
 carried them to the king. He placed them on the kings favorte horse and his majesty mounted. The king was delighted and ordered saddles and brides for all his court. Now, Sindbad,' said the king. there is one thing more want you to do for me-marry a rich wife whom l will give you.''
 Seeing no hope of returning to his own country Sindbad consented. But what was his horror to learn that the custom of the country required that when wife died her husband must be buried alive with her. Carefully did Sindbad watch his wife's health but in spite of all he could do she sickened and died. They had cave where they buried people, and
 when the body of his wife was placed in | it they put Sindbad in there, too and closed the mouth of the cave. They gave him seven small loaves and a jug of | water and he had nearly consumed these
 in his horrible prison when he one day
 heard some animal stirring. As he moved
 toward it the animal ran and finally. | looking up, Sindbad saw, like a star, an opening high up in the roof of the cave. Gathering bag full of the gold and l gems buried with dead people, which lay
 scattered about, he climbed up through
 the opening and made for the shore He
 saw ship close to land, and, signaling
 1t with his turban, was taken on board
 and carried to a port whence he reached
 Bagdad. Giving Hindbad another purse i of Aod, Sindbad directed him to return | next day.
 The next day for fifth time did Hind-
 bad sit on the divan beside Sindbad and l partook of the sumptuous feast. When 1t
 was ended sindbad began the story of his Fifth Voyage. The desire for travel | seized upon him In the midst of ease and | plenty as It had done before, and he
 sailed away for trading voyage to far
 lands. One day they landed upon an un- inhabited island and found there what | greatly excited the surprise of the others l hut what Sindbad immediately recognized
 as roc's egg. There was a young roc l rearly matched inside of 1t, and, in spite | of Sindbad's warning, the sailors began 1 breaking the she'll Suddenly they saw 4 in the distance the male and female roes
 approaching on swift wings. In terror | they ran to the ship and, hoisting sai lefro fo D,k h.
 seizing a huge stone in her talons, flew | over the vessel and dropped 1t on deck 1 from a great height, that it split the | ship asunder and she sank.
 All were drowned except Sindbad, l who, clinging to a piece of wreckage, | managed to reach shore. There he | found a land like beautiful garden | filled with flowers and fruit trees and
 watered by sparkling streams. Seat
 ed by the side of stream he saw | a little, withered old man, who made | signs for Sindbad to take him on his | back and carry him across the brook Touched by the apparently helpless con- dition of the old man, Sindbad took him 1 upon his shoulders, but no sooner had
 he done so than the stranger clasped
 his legs so tightly around his neck
 that he fainted and fell to the ground. 1 When he came to himself the old man l was still fastened around his neck, and,
 putting out one foot, struck him so 1 violently In the side that he was forced | to arise and go forward. So for days 1 they travelled, the old man picking and | eating the fruit as they passed under the trees and spurring Sindbad on 1 with his heels. The old man never
 unclasped himself even when Sindbad lay down at night. Sindbad also picked | and ate fruits, but after several days was almost dead from exhaustion See ing a great gourd growing he pick ed 1t and, hollowing 1t out, squeezed into. the cavity of the juice of some wild grapes This he set In a cool place to 1 ferment.
 After several days he returned that
 with strong wine He drank 1t and be- gan to dance. Seeing the effect of the
 wine upon his bearer, the old man made
 signs for some of 1t. Sindbad gave h i'm
 the gourd, anft the old man drank the
 wine all up. Pretty soon he began to
 wabble in his seat. then his hold re-
 faxed and he fell to the ground ,wh ere
 Sindbad killed him with a stone. Has,
 tening to the beach he found there a
 ship taking water and went on boar q.
 You have escaped" said the sailors
 when they heard his story, from the Old Man of the Sea and are the first
 that ever did so. Many man has
 he killed on this island" The ship
 went on to an island where they gath
 cred cocoanuts, and Sndbad, gathering
 some also, continued on the voyage, trading his cocoanuts for other mer-
 chandise. and returning to Bagdad with