Page:Writings of Oscar Wilde - Volume 03.djvu/121

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THE FISHERMAN AND HIS SOUL. 95

and the mules followed with the merchandise. There were forty camels in the caravan, and the mules were twice forty in number. "We went from the country of the Tartars into the country of those who curse the Moon. We saw the Gryphons guarding their gold on the white rocks, and the scaled Dragons sleeping in their caves. As we passed over the mountains we held our breath lest the snows might fall on us, and each man tied a veil of gauze before his eyes. As we passed through the valleys the Pygmies shot arrows at us from the hollows of the trees, and at night time we heard the wild men beating on their drums. When we came to the Tower of Apes we set fruits before them, and they did not harm us. When we came to the Tower of Serpents we gave them warm milk in bowls of brass, and they let us go by. Three times in our journey we came to the banks of the Oxus. We crossed it on rafts of wood with great bladders of blown hide. The river-horses raged against us and sought to slay us. the camels saw them they trembled. When "The kings of each city levied tolls on us, but would not suffer us to enter their gates. They threw us bread over the walls, little maize-

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