HKB
I pretend to have any power over your actions. At these words my sisters changed colour, and I could easily perceive that afterwards they did not love me as formerly.
We were come into the Persian gulph, and not far from Balsora, where I hoped, considering the fair wind, we might have arrived the day following; but in the night, when I was asleep, my sisters watched their time, and threw me overboard. They did the same to the prince, who was drowned. I swam some minutes on the water; but by good fortune, or rather miracle, I felt ground. I went towards a black place, which, by what I could discern in the dark, seemed to be land, and actually was a flat on the coast: when day came, I found it to be a desert island, lying about twenty miles from Balsora. I soon dried my clothes in the sun; and as I walked along, found several sorts of fruit, and likewise fresh water, which gave me some hopes of preserving my life. I laid myself down in a shade, and soon after I saw a winged serpent, very large and long, coming towards me wriggling to the right and to the left, and hanging out his tongue, which made me think he had got some hurt. I rose, and saw a serpent still larger following, holding him by the tail, and endeavouring to devour him, I had compassion on him, and, instead of flying away, had the boldness and courage to take up a stone that by chance lay by me, and threw it at the great serpent with all my strength, whom I hit on the head and killed. The other, finding himself at liberty, took to his wings and flew away. I looked a long while after him in the air, as being an extraordinary thing; but he flew out of sight, and I lay down again in another place in the shade, and fell asleep. When I awaked, judge how I was surprised to see a black woman by me, of a lively and agreeable complexion, who held two bitches tied together in her hand, of the same colour. I sat up, and asked her who she was? I am, said she, the serpent whom you delivered not long since from my mortal enemy. I know not how to acknowledge the great kindness you did me, except by doing what I have done. I know the treachery of your sisters, and, to revenge you as soon as I was set at liberty by your generous assistance, I called several of my companions together, fairies like myself. We have carried the loading that was in your vessel into your storehouses at Bagdad, and afterwards sunk it. These two black bitches are your sisters, whom I have transformed into this shape: but this punishment is not sufficient, for I will have you to treat them after such a manner as I shall direct.