The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-08-21

derers waited the return of day. With
the first light the giant reused himself
and having attended to his milking
snatched up two more sailors, dashed
their brains out, ate them for breakfast
and then, whistling as he went and driv
ing his nocks before him, went forth,
closing behind him as he left the mouth
OF the cave.
Left prisoner in the horrible cavern
the mind Of Ulysses worked rapidly with
revenge, doubt and caution. On looking
about the cave he espied a great tree
which the giant had torn up, stripped of
its boughs and left to dry there that he
might use 1t as club VI staff. 1t was as
! large as the mast of a ship. The sight of
this gave the king an idea which he re-
vealed at once to his companions. First
they set to work to sharpen the smaller
end into point and this point they hard
ened In the fire. Having done this they
sat down to wait the coming of the
Cyclops. AT evening home he came closed
the stone door behind him, attended to
his milking and made his supper off two
more of the unhappy Ithacans.
Ulysses then approached the monster,
holding in his hands g great drinking
bowl, which he had brought along from
the ship as a present to whatever ruler
he should find in the land. This bowl was
filed with the strong wine seized at the
sack of the Cicons' city. He offered it to
the one-eyed giant, saying: "Cyclops,
since thou dined on human flesh, drink of
this wine. 1t is potent to digest. Know
from this draught what precious wines
are found in other countries. If you will
send us home safely we will, once a year,
bring you shipload of this wine" The
monster took the bowl, tasted the wine
and then with delight poured the liquid
| down his throat at one huge draught.
| 'More!" he cried, give me more" And
| Ulysses did give him more Three times
the Cyclops drained the great bowl, and
then, overcome by the fumes of the heady
liquor, he fell nodding on his back and
slept.
AS soon as they heard him snore
Ulysses and his companions took the
huge beam of wood, which they had pre-
pared, and. heating the point in the fire
until it glowed red, they, with a mighty
effort, heaved it aloft, twirled 1t around
and sent it straight into the single eye
of the recumbent giant. With frightful
| howl of pain and rage the Cyclops awoke
and, sprfnging to his feet, reached out
blindfy to catch his assailants. But his
sight was quite extinguished, and they
had little difficulty In eluding him
| The giant then rushed to the door of the
cave and called with a voice of thunder
to his fellows, who came running to know
what was the cause Of his distress. Now,
when the Cyclops had asked Ulysses for
his name the artful king had replied: MY
name is Noman' So when the Cyclops
asked the giant what allied him he shouted
back Norman kills me! Noman in the
hour of sleep oppressed me with dread
full power" ''Well," replied the Cyclops,
IF no man hurts thee, but hand divine
afflicts thee, what is 1t to us?" and they
went away again.
The Cycops now cast away the stone
from the mouth of the cave and, sitting
down by the entrance, began to feel and
examine the sheep and goats as they camc
out He wanted to be sure that none of
the Ithacans came with them.
But vain were his efforts to catch
the sailors. They bound the rams with
osiers three abreast. On each side OF
the middle ram chung a man. The Cy-
clops passed his hands over the sides
of the two outer rams of the trio,
but did not detect the trick Only one
ram remained in the cave, and Ulys-
SEES, who went last from danger as
good captain should, got through
the portal safely by clinging to the
thick wool beneath the last rams
belly.
Once out of the cave they ran to
the ship and put to sea. But Ulysses
could not refrain from shouting back
taunts to the blinded giant and the Cy-
clops tearing off In a rage huge pieces
of the mountain rocks. hurled them
in the direction from which the taunt-
| ing voice came and all but sunk the